Bringing Up Korra
by wherewulf
Summary: The writer's prequel to the events in The Legend of Korra, Book 1: Air.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, and welcome to my _Legend of Korra_ tale of _Bringing Up Korra._

This story is about the twelve years of Korra's life from the time the Order of the White Lotus found her at the South Pole to the time she left the South Pole for Republic City. The idea for this story originally started out as a oneshot; I thought Katara would have something to say to the White Lotus at the South Pole instead of letting her learn out in the world the way Aang did. The more I thought about it, the more ideas I had about that time period, and, well, here we are. Heaven knows plot bunnies do multiply. :D

I'd like to thank Invaderk for once again being willing to be my beta reader/editor for the story, and most certainly I'd like to thank Bryan Konietzko, Michael DiMartino, and everyone involved with the production of _Avatar: the Last Airbender_ and _The Legend of Korra_. Thank you very much again for your wonderful creations.

_The Legend of Korra_ is the property of Bryan Konietzko, Michael DiMartino, and by extension Nickelodeon and its various parent companies and subsidiaries. And now to our story.

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**_1: The Avatar's Wife_**

Ten years.

Katara watched the dark green and gray countryside of the Southern Earth Kingdom go by outside the train's window.

It had been ten years since Katara's last trip to the South Pole. Ten years of incredible change, technological and otherwise… in Republic City, at least. Farther out from the City, she didn't know how much had changed. It was hard to say what to expect, most especially at the South Pole.

It could also be said that her people were traditionalists, in certain ways. The way of life of the Southern Water Tribe had survived despite a hundred years of war and persecution by the Fire Nation. Just because something was hot now in the Fire Nation or cool in the Northern Water Tribe did not automatically mean that it would be the "in" thing in the South.

Still… ten years. The last time she and Aang had visited her homeland.

The trip itself wasn't as long as it might have been. While Appa had gone on with Aang to the Spirit World and could no longer fly Katara directly home, the cities of the United Republic of Nations had been linked by rail since the days of their being Fire Nation Colonies. Now an additional rail line ran from the Republic's southernmost city to the Earth Kingdom city closest to the South Pole, a city made rich with post-war Water Tribe trade. The trip from Republic City to the end of the line took only a few weeks, instead of who knew how many days on foot, or by cart or Satomobile. From there, she boarded ship for the Southern Water Tribe, and home.

She had a lot to think about during her journey.

What would the new Avatar be like? How would the Avatar feel toward her? How would she feel _to_ her? She felt Aang's spirit would be near—or at least she _thought_ he would. Where else would he be right now, at this crucial time? She smiled to herself. _Of course, I have no idea what _he_ has to do right now, either._

When Katara and Aang had first visited the North Pole so many years ago, Katara had seen Aang's spirit fly overhead like a comet as she, Sokka, and Yue had searched for his body. During their marriage, there had been times when she had seen him, even though he hadn't been physically there. After his passing, he had come to her again, in spirit, and she had seen him now and then ever since.

Why was it he couldn't tell her where the new Avatar was, or _who_, for that matter, he didn't say—but he hadn't. So now here she was, six years after the fact, on a ship for her old homeland. Wryly she rolled her eyes. _Someone needs to sort out their priorities._

The plan had been for Katara to go to where the new Avatar was, Northern Water Tribe or Southern, and teach the new Avatar in Waterbending. She also was to help with the overall education of the new Avatar.

_Korra_. That was her name—and a rather pugnacious little rascal, too, by all accounts. Well, Katara certainly knew a thing or two about pugnaciousness.

Republic City, centrally located, was an ideal place to wait for the new Avatar. That, and there was always something that Katara could help calm down while she was there, either by giving sound advice to the Council or personally intervening between quarreling parties. Her name and presence carried considerable cachet, and her bending skills made even the strongest arguer think twice. Now that role would fall to Tenzin. She was needed elsewhere.

Katara found on her arrival that the Southern Water Tribe had not changed too much; the several villages spanning out from the central one were still there, hadn't grown appreciably. "Pakku's Gift" was still unfolding. The buildings were sensible ice-covered domes, nothing large or overly ornate like the towers and halls of the Northern Tribe. The ice docks were more extensive, now, though, and a village had now sprung up around _them_.

As Katara had requested, there was no official welcome, no fanfare, but there were lots of family and friends to meet her regardless. There was expectation in the air; they knew why she was here.

Surprisingly, Korra was not in the cluster of villages, but in a separate compound of ice domes a distance away.

"Has she started her training?" Katara asked Pesut, the elder Waterbender of the White Lotus, on her way to see Korra for the first time.

"No. We felt it better to wait until you were here, so we could employ a more… comprehensive approach."

"Comprehensive? What do you mean?"

"We intend for all of Korra's training to be done here, at the South Pole."

"All of Korra's training."

"Yes. In many ways, the South Pole is an excellent location. Sparsely populated, remotely located from major population centers, easy to defend against attack."

Katara raised an eyebrow, amused. "I wasn't aware we were expecting another invasion, Pesut."

Pesut did not see the humor in Katara's quip.

"Avatar Aang in his dying months charged the Order of the White Lotus with locating, educating, and protecting the new Avatar until they were ready to assume their duties in the world. We have fulfilled the first; it is our intention to fulfill the second and the third."

Katara hid a smile. "Very well, Master Pesut. I wouldn't dream of preventing you from carrying out what my husband charged you with." That drew a raised eyebrow.

They reached the room where Korra was with some of her minders. They went in, and a six-year-old Water Tribe girl looked over. Pesut gestured to Katara. "Korra, this is Katara of the Southern Water Tribe. She is to be your new Waterbending teacher. Katara, this is Avatar Korra—your new Waterbending student."

The six year old stood, assumed a wide stance, and planted her fists on her hips. "_I'm_ the Avatar, and _you_ gotta _deal with it!_"

Katara laughed, and matched the gesture. "Well, _I'm_ the Avatar's _wife_—and _you_ gotta deal with _that._"

"_Huh?_" Korra tilted her head, and her face screwed up in confusion. "I don't got a wife!"

"Of course not. I'm the wife of Avatar Aang, your predecessor." Korra's face screwed up even more, trying to make sense of the new word. "The Avatar before you."

Korra brightened. "Oh, you know Avatar Aang! Cool! Whatcha gonna do?"

"I am here to teach you Waterbending, and to tell you about Avatar Aang, among other things. Aang didn't know what being the Avatar was about when he was y—"

"Aw, I know about Waterbending already. I don't need to learn any more of that stuff!"

"You don't, huh?" Katara's hands went back on her hips. "We'll just have to see about that. But that's why I'm here. You have a lot of things to learn if you're going to be the Avatar."

"Yeah." Korra nodded at her minders. "That's what _they_ keep telling me."

Katara smiled. "I can only imagine."

o o o

Over the next few days, Katara got to know Korra better.

"Okay," Katara said to Korra in the main training room. "Show me what you can do."

Korra raised her foot high in what had to be an Earthbending stomp. "_With water_," Katara emphasized.

The six-year-old looked disappointed. "Okay…"

She looked at a nearby bucket and raised her hand. Water came up out of it in a shiny, amorphous blob. Korra slowly moved her hands together in a circle, and the blob became a thick tube of water circling in the air. She moved her arms around over her head, and the water followed, tracing a wide silver ring around her. With a flourish Korra wound up, lunged, and snapped her wrists, and the water splashed hard into the wall.

"That's pretty good!" said Katara. "That's very good—_I_ couldn't do that when I was your age."

"Yeah." Korra struck a pose, then wiped her nose. "I'm a natural."

Katara gathered the water and returned it to its bucket. "Can you do anything else with it?"

"Like what?"

"What do you think you can do with it?"

Korra shrugged. "What do you want me to do with it?"

"All right… how about this?"

Now Katara beckoned to the bucket, and a mist formed at the lip of it, spilled over, and crept along the floor toward Korra, who was wide-eyed at the sight. It flowed over Korra's foot and made her giggle. "Cool!"

Katara smiled. "And _this?_"

She pointed sharply at the mist, and it froze solid on the spot. Korra jerked back as the mist froze over her foot. "Hey!"

Katara chuckled. She raised her arms, and the water floated up away from the floor as a collection of ice crystals, sparkling in the light. She swirled her arms. The crystals matched the move, whirling into a circle around her. Katara spread her fingers and slowed her arms, and the ice crystals spread out into a slowly-moving snowglobe around her. Korra stood there open-mouthed.

Katara picked up the pace, moved her arms round faster, and brought her fingers back together. The ice thinned out, returning to the circle she had started from. Faster and faster Katara went—then she flung her arms at the wall and clenched her fists. Ice packed together into hard shards and lanced into the wall.

_Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk! Shuk!_

"_Whoa…_" Korra's jaw had dropped. She grinned. "You _gotta_ show me that!"

"I will." Katara nodded. "That and much more. I promise. You're limited only by your imagination."

"Imaj—imagination." Korra frowned. "What's that?"

Katara frowned at her. "Don't tell me _you_ don't know what imagination is!"

Korra nodded. "Yup." She then shook her head. "I dunno what that word means."

A smile worked its way into Katara's frown. "I think you'll catch on pretty quickly."

From then on, Katara found she had a new companion, a sponge of information named Korra that eagerly sapped up any new trick Katara could teach her. The elder Waterbender was greatly pleased at how well they were bonding.

One thing that did surprise Katara was the lack of any presence of Aang in Korra. Korra was completely her own person. None of her gestures, none of her words, none of her personality gave any hint of Aang. But then Katara also remembered the time at the Fire Temple many years ago on the Winter Solstice, when Aang had gone to talk to Avatar Roku. The only time she had sensed Avatar Roku at _all_ was when Aang had allowed Roku to physically manifest himself. Then she had actually _seen_ Avatar Roku come out of the communion chamber and hurl fire at their enemies. All other times, Katara had not sensed Roku in Aang at all.

The same was true with Avatar Kyoshi. The towering Earthbender Avatar had manifested herself through Aang once—accidentally, in fact, when Aang was on trial at Chin Village—but Katara had never seen anything of Kyoshi in Aang. Aang was carefree and easy-going, Kyoshi focused and ruthless. They couldn't have been more different.

_Of course_, Katara thought as she remembered other, more intimate times with Aang, _it's definitely good that Aang was his own person_. Having Roku or Kyoshi manifest at those times—or any other Avatar, for that matter—would have been _extremely_ awkward. Katara chuckled to herself at the thought.

One other concern did creep its way into Katara's thoughts; when she was able to describe it well enough, she mentioned it to Pesut.

"Does Korra get to be with other children?"

It was hard to tell if Pesut hadn't thought of that, or if he thought it was a silly question. "We thought she should concentrate on learning the skills she needs as the Avatar."

Katara's look would have been interesting to describe as well. "Korra is a _six-year-old_ _girl_, Pesut. She needs to spend time learning how to be a little girl as well as how to be the Avatar."

That clearly struck Pesut as ridiculous. "Why does Korra need to _learn_ how to be a little girl?"

"Pesut." _Oh, this is going to be interesting to explain…_ "As odd as this sounds, Korra needs to learn how to be human. She _is_ the Avatar, but you can't just fill her up with knowledge and turn her loose in the world. It doesn't work like that."

"Of course," Pesut said airily. "But 'growing up' is something that Korra will naturally do."

"Only if she's given time and opportunity to do it," Katara replied. "She must have contact with other children. She must be able to grow up with them, learn _from_ them, experiment _with_ them what means to grow up. If she doesn't… If you put Korra in a box, you will grow an Avatar in a box—unfamiliar with the outside world and knowing little about the people she is meant to serve. That will benefit no one."

Pesut didn't like Katara's argument—but he had no answer for the points she had made. He nodded. "Very well; we will allow her more visits home."

Katara smiled. "I think that's a good idea, Pesut. Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2: Fire Burp

Thanks, Guest! I'll do my best! I'm very glad you like things so far.

You wouldn't happen to want a second helping of Korra's pugnaciousness, would you? XD

* * *

**_2: Fire Burp_**

Katara and Korra broke for lunch after one of their training sessions. Katara was surprised at the cook's choice, spicy cashew chicken-pig—not at the international choice of fare, but rather that the cook was comfortable with serving something so spicy to someone so young. She shrugged to herself. _Maybe seven-year-olds in the Fire Nation build up a resistance to it. Something else to ask Zuko, I suppose._

She was surprised again at Korra's reaction.

"Mmmm, spicy cashew chicken-pig!"

Katara's eyebrow went up. "You _like_ Fire Nation food?"

Korra turned to her with a broad grin. "Yeah! It's _fiery!_"

Katara sighed. "Why am I surprised?"

They settled down at one of the tables and began to eat. Katara was glad she had plenty of rice; given how spicy the main dish was, she wondered if the cook enjoyed inflicting this on Water Tribe folk. Korra by contrast was relishing the dish, all but foregoing the rice. Katara shrugged mentally and kept eating.

Others came in and joined them, including Rava, an old friend of Katara's. She sat at their table. "Oh, Katara, I just heard the news. Congratulations!"

Katara smiled. "Now, now, Rava, Tenzin and Pema haven't had the baby yet."

"But still, your first grandchild. That's worth celebrating." Rava tilted her head. "Unless Kya or Bumi…"

Katara chuckled. "No, not that we know of, or that they've told us. Bumi is too busy with the United Forces, or so he _says_, and Kya is busy with…" She shook her head and put up her hands. "Who knows. But she's always been that way." She raised a finger. "And don't forget—Aunt Wu promised I would pass away only after my third great-grandchild, so don't rush it!"

Now it was Rava's turn to smile. "I'm so glad to hear that from you. I worried about you after…"

"Yes."

Rava raised her eyebrows. "Of course, from what I've heard about Bumi, you may already have grandchildren."

Katara sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, it is true, Bumi is wild, but I like to think he'd have more care in that particular—"

_Burp._

_Whoosh!_

Katara stopped. She looked at Korra, who had an impish smile on her face but gave no clue as to what had happened. She turned back to Rava. "Anyway, I might send a telegraph to Bumi and ask him to come by the next time he has leave. It'd be good if he could come and visit—"

_Burp._

_Whoosh!_

Now Katara knew she saw a flash of light. She looked at Korra. "What are you doing?"

Korra grinned impishly—again. "Fire burping."

"Why?"

"It's fiery food. I'm fire burping."

Katara gave her a stern look. "Young lady, we do not fire burp at the table. It's rude."

"I'm not a young lady—I'm the Avatar!"

"I _know_ who you are, and that's all the more reason for you not to do that. You need to set a good example."

"I'm the Avatar, and I'll fire burp if I want to!"

"Do not… fire burp… at the table."

In response, Korra turned a little, burped out a short tongue of flame, and giggled.

In many ways, Katara didn't want to pick this kind of fight, right here, right now, with an increasing number of eyes looking on. She had learned from child rearing, though, including with the aforementioned Bumi, that there were times to pick your battles and set limits, and one of those times was right now.

She locked gazes with Korra.

"Do _not_… fire burp… at the table."

Korra, having just done what Katara told her not to do and not having suffered for it, smiled, turned her head slightly, and as if to prove her point, let off a good, hearty, fire _belch_.

And got her flame doused as Katara snap-Waterbent the water out of Korra's own cup at her.

That brought out a few snickers and chuckles from the others, including Rava.

In a number of ways, Katara wished she hadn't done that, especially in public, but Korra did need to learn that actions had consequences. She kept looking at Korra. Korra, for her part, was stunned—and wet—and very surprised that she had gotten that way. She looked a little angry, too, and the anger grew. She tried to fire burp again—only to get doused by the water from Katara's cup.

"I said, don't… fire burp… at the table," Katara said gently.

Korra smiled. "You've only got one cup of water left," she said, motioning to the last cup on the table—Katara's backup for the spicy cashew chicken pig. "Whatcha gonna do then?"

Katara smiled back, amused somehow. "There's more water in the kitchen… and there's a whole South Pole of it out there… and there's a whole ocean of it after that."

Korra giggled. "And I'll fire burp the whole time!"

"You probably would," Katara replied, chuckling a little herself. "But come on. No fire burping at the table. Please."

Korra thought about it.

"Well, all right. You said please, so I guess I have ta."

Katara nodded. "You're right, I should have done that in the first place. I have to set an example, too. No fire burping at the table, _please._"

Korra nodded solemnly. "_O—kay._"

So did Katara. "All right."

Then Korra burped on reflex—and a finger-length tongue of flame slipped out of her lips. Katara's eyes went wide—and immediately Korra's hands came up. "It was an accident! I swear!"

Katara was wide-eyed for a moment more—and then couldn't help laughing at the whole thing.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks, Flipdarkfuture, munchdino! I appreciate it!

Of course, Korra isn't alone in the world-or isn't _now_, in a certain sense. XD Chapter 3. And thanks again for reading, everybody.

* * *

**_3: Priorities_**

The time came for Pema to bring her firstborn child into the world. The child was healthy and well-formed. Katara knew. She was there to see it.

Tenzin was everywhere doing everything, moving the heavens and the earth for whatever Pema needed or wanted—even down to dirty diaper duty, which he flinched at (understandably) but did not shrink from. Seeing him hold little Jinora was a soul-fulfilling moment for Katara; it was wonderful seeing the man and now the father Tenzin had become. So like his father in so many ways.

Of course, given how seriously Tenzin took things at times and how light-hearted Aang had been, someone easily could have speculated that Tenzin's father was someone just as serious: Zuko, the Fire Lord. Katara laughed at the thought. _That_ would have sent shock waves through the Republic, and elsewhere. But as of last report, Zuko was _not_ an Airbender, so that rumor could easily be put to rest.

Before Katara had left the South Pole, though, she had exhaustively explained to Korra what she was leaving for and why; that explanation hadn't gone over too well with Korra. On Katara's return to the South Pole, she found herself having to give the same explanation again.

"_There_ you are! It's about time you got back!" The seven-year-old planted her hands on her hips. "_Somebody_ needs to get their priorities straight!"

Katara could only wonder who had said that to whom, and what the context was; it probably even involved her, which might have been why Korra said it now. Katara knew she wasn't too popular in some quarters—particularly among the White Lotus.

She smiled. "Well, young lady, as a matter of fact I _do_ have my priorities straight. I did come back to teach you Waterbending, but I needed to see to my son and his wife. They had a baby, you see, and that's where I needed to be."

"A baby? Cool! Whadja name her?"

"Her name is Jinora, and I think you'll get to meet her one day, if everything goes well. That priority has been met, and here I am." Katara put her hands on her hips. "Let's see if you remember what I taught you." She widened her stance, one foot slightly in front of the other, and brought her hands to midlevel. "Are you ready?"

"Sure." Korra matched Katara's stance, then slackened. "Uh, one question. What's a priority?"

Katara smiled, and relaxed her stance.

"A priority is something you think is important. It means a lot to you. It can be a thing or a person, like you or my son Tenzin. It can be something you do or want to do, like me teaching you Waterbending." She smiled again. "In both ways _you_ are a priority of mine."

"So why did you go away when I'm a pri—priority?"

"I had to go because my son Tenzin and his wife Pema were having a baby, Jinora. I am a healer, so I can help with that kind of thing. Plus, Tenzin, Pema, and Jinora are my family. You know how your mother and father love you?"

"Yeah?"

"Well… I love Tenzin, Pema, and Jinora just as much. I wanted to be there to welcome Jinora into the world." Katara spread her arms. "And now she's safely here, so I get to come back and train you again."

"So there are things more important than _me?_ Even though I'm the Avatar?"

"I did ask the White Lotus if I could bring you with me to Republic City. I thought it would be good for you." Katara grew serious. "They told me you were too young, so I had to leave you here in their care."

Katara smiled. "You are important to me—never doubt that. At that time, though, my family needed me. I wanted to be there, and so I had to choose. I didn't want to—I wanted to do both, be there with them and be here with you. But I had to make a choice. Knowing that you would be safe here—and _continuing to study_, I hope—I chose them. It's something you have to do when you get older, make decisions… make choices. It's something you'll have to do as the Avatar."

"So you chose them over me."

"At that time—yes."

"Will you always choose them over me?"

Katara looked her in the eye. "It would depend."

"On what?"

"On whether or not I thought my family could take care of themselves. Whether or not this was a special moment that would never come again—like this time, with the birth of my son's firstborn child. A lot of things." Korra made to speak, but Katara cut her off. "And just because you're the Avatar, young lady, doesn't mean that _you_ come first, at all times in all places. _That's_ part of being the Avatar, too. You matter_—_a lot—but you're not the only thing in this world." Katara smiled. "And _you_ gotta deal with _that._"

Korra frowned. Her hands went onto her hips again.

"Are you _always_ gonna say that to me just 'cause I said it that one time?"

Katara grinned. "You started it."

"Aw, great."

Katara went over and hugged her, then looked at her at arm's length. "I want you to know that I care about you a lot, and I always will, but part of being the Avatar—and part of life—is making choices sometimes. Part of being the Avatar _and _part of life is balance. It takes a lot of learning." She chuckled. "_I'm_ still learning, even now—like with a seven-year-old Avatar." She gave Korra a poke. Korra giggled. "All right?"

"All right." Korra gave her a hug, then let go. "So, didja wanna see if I remembered stuff or not?"

"Yes." Katara gave her a look. "Did you make it a priority?"

"Yes. Yes, I did." And Korra showed her.


	4. Chapter 4: Lack of Air

Don't you dare, VividDreamer! Don't you dare! XD

You know, I never thought of whether or not Azula would still be around in Korra's time, but it's entirely possible. And I agree, Korra and Azula would get along famously. **Too** famously, I think. XDD Please, if you do follow up on that plotbunny, let me know.

And thanks, Summer, Lara Croft! (Good heavens, I have a celebrity reading this.) I greatly appreciate what you all and Flipdarkfuture (and VividDreamer) said-to say that I _am_ keeping them in character is a great compliment. Thank you _very_ much.

("Because. I. Can." Good grief, Summer. XDD)

I think I'll let this next one introduce itself, because I don't want to get too much into it. Yet. XD Thank you very much again, everyone, for reading. (And especially for commenting, as always.)

* * *

**_4: Lack of Air_**

Training Korra in Waterbending had been both a joy and a challenge, especially at the beginning.

"Now, this is a water whip," Katara had said to Korra, early in their training. "It's one of the first things I learned." She had drawn water up out of its bucket, held it in a shiny blob at midlevel, then had stepped forward and lanced out with her hand and arm. The water had followed, lashing out in a whip a few finger's widths across. She had brought it back into a blob. "Now you try."

The six-year-old had taken the water from Katara, focused, then lunged. The whole blob had gone splashing into the wall.

"Well, no, good try." Katara had collected the water and "handed" it to Korra. "Try it again."

Korra had concentrated again, then had thrown out an arm. Again the water had flown into the wall.

"Okay, let me show you." Katara had gathered the water up again. "Let's try this…_slowly_. Watch what I'm doing. I think about the strand of water I want to make, and I narrow my hand to control what I'm doing, see? Then I _slowly _draw the water out from the ball, and…" A rope of water had spanned from the shimmering ball out to Katara's extended hand. "See?"

"Oh—like this?" Korra had taken the water back and repeated Katara's moves, step for step, the water stopping at her fingertips just the way Katara's had.

Katara had brightened. "Exactl—" Then she had frowned, suspicious. "Did you know how to do that all along?"

"**_No…_**" Korra had shrugged. "I learned from what ya showed me."

A skeptical look. "Uh-huh."

"I still wanna do _this_." And Korra had thrown the water ball into the wall again.

Now, a few years later, Korra whipped her water back and forth with panache, formed waves of it with the barest flick of her wrists and sent them crashing down wherever she pleased, froze it into ice on the spot or threw up walls of ice with graceful and fierce precision. She was well on her way to becoming a master Waterbender—at _eight_. Katara shook her head and smiled at the thought.

She even saw Korra "sneaking" other Bending moves into her Waterbending, which was rather interesting. A hard foot stomp an Earthbender might use brought a water wall down, preparatory to flinging it in an ice shard attack. Firebending-style punches sent globs of water at a target. Katara made note to mention that to the rest of the White Lotus. It was very interesting.

Yet of all the things Water might have lent itself to in terms of use through other styles, Air was absent. When Korra flowed with Water, she flowed into a new attack, not into an evasive move. It was indeed classic Waterbending style, but given how fluent Korra was already with other bending styles… it was peculiar.

So, Katara thought she would explore it.

"I'm curious about something," she announced at the end of a training session.

"Yeah? What?"

"You've been able to bend Water, Earth, and Fire ever since the White Lotus found you. Have you ever tried to bend Air?"

"Yeah," Korra said slowly. "I have."

"And?"

Korra stood there for a moment, searching for an answer, then shrugged. "Guess I just can't."

"Really? Nothing at all?"

"Yup." Korra swayed from side to side. "Guess I don't need it."

"Guess you don't need it?" Katara was incredulous, and amused. "What makes you say that?"

"Wellllllll… I didn't know how to do it then, but I do know how to do everything else, so… maybe I just don't." Korra continued to sway.

"You could _learn_ how to do it, you know. You didn't know how to make ice until you met me."

"Yeah, that's true."

Katara was still amused. "Well, fortunately for you, you have to learn about that last, after Water, Earth, and Fire."

"I guess that's good."

Katara tilted her head. "Any ideas why you can't Airbend?"

More swaying. "Nope."

Katara carried the buckets back to the sink. "I think you're going to have to learn Airbending at some point. All the other Avatars did."

"So just because I can't, and just because they did, you think I'll have to?"

"Yes. All the other Avatars have."

"That's pretty judg-judgmental, don't you think?"

"Judgmental?" Katara wondered where Korra had learned _that_ word. She turned to face Korra. "Why?"

"Well… just because I can't Airbend doesn't mean I'm not a good Avatar."

"Korra, sweetie, I'm not saying that at all." Katara grew concerned. "I'm sure you'll be a perfectly good Avatar—but learning how to Airbend is an important thing. It _is_ part of being the Avatar. Because you don't know how to do it now, it may be more difficult for you to learn how later. That is not a _bad_ thing."

Katara brought her hands together. "The Avatar before you, my husband, Avatar Aang, had real problems learning how to Earthbend. He _did_ learn how to do it, though, and he used Earthbending as much as the other bending arts if not more. He did it by learning how to do and be something he couldn't naturally be—tough and stubborn. Rocklike." She laughed. "That's something Aang definitely wasn't, let me tell you."

"So don't worry about it!" said Korra. "I'll learn how someday! Don't worry!"

Katara put her hands on her hips. "Well, you got confident awful fast!"

"Of course! _I'm_ the Avatar, and I'm gonna deal with it!"

Katara couldn't help but break up at that. "Now who's saying that line?" They laughed together.

The good feeling lasted for a while, but the more Katara thought about it, the more she grew concerned. Something was missing. For all that Korra could bend three of the four elements so early, why _couldn't_ she bend the fourth? Why couldn't she bend Air?

_Or is something really missing?_ Katara wondered to herself in bed one night. _Before Aang started training in Water with Master Pakku, he did try to study Fire with Jeong Jeong, and he did manage to bend Fire. _ She winced. _Even if he wound up burning me in the process_.

_That would have made _three_ elements Aang was able to bend then—Air, Water, and Fire._ _Just like Korra can bend three now._

At that point, Katara realized how late it was, and decided to leave things there for the night. She snuggled into bed.

_That is good to think about_, Katara thought as she went off to sleep. _Maybe it is just a matter of time_.


	5. Chapter 5: The Matter of Naga

Thanks, VividDreamer! :D You know, I wish I had taken time to write a chapter where Katara talks with Tonraq and Senna, especially Senna; unfortunately the coming of Korra's Book 2 has precluded any of that, but maybe one of these days. I feel Katara never meant to _supplant_ Korra's family, but she did want to be close to Korra, have a good relationship with her. And please do; I look forward to that plotbunny PM. XD

So you know Naga had to figure into things at some point... Chapter 5. Thanks again for reading, everybody, and especially for commenting.

* * *

**_5: The Matter of Naga_**

Katara woke up in the middle of the night. People—several groups of them—were hurrying past her room in the White Lotus compound. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

She threw on a light blue robe and left her room. A White Lotus guard was walking by at a determined clip, and she stopped him. "What's going on? What's wrong?"

The guard's face was drawn. "The Avatar is gone!"

"Gone? What do you mean, gone? Where would she go?"

"We don't know! She's not in her room, she's not anywhere! We're trying to find her!"

"Did she take anything?"

"Yes. We think she took her coat. We can't tell otherwise."

_You think_, she almost said out loud. "Very well. I will check her room. If she took her coat, she wanted to go outside. I would check the nearby buildings, look for small footprints."

"Yes, Master Katara!" The guard headed off.

Katara went to Korra's room and looked around. The guard was right; the only thing missing was Korra's coat. All the rest of her belongings were there, undisturbed. It appeared she hadn't meant to go for long. But go where?

Katara met with the rest of the White Lotus; they _had_ checked outside, around the housing igloo, everywhere nearby. They had also checked with Korra's parents to see if Korra had gone there; she had not, and now Tonraq and Senna were worried too. Daylight came, and revealed nothing more.

They widened their search. Waterbenders took to the ocean, even going down under the ice… nothing. Teams searched the paths between the villages, the open ice where nothing else was save wildlife… nothing.

A day passed. Nothing.

Gloom settled in on the White Lotus compound, particularly on Katara. She retraced her steps, retraced her words, wondered if anything she had said or done had angered or disparaged Korra so much that she felt she had to just _go_… such a young life, all of nine years old, out there on the ice somewhere…

The Avatar truly _was_ gone.

That night, Katara retired to her room early and sadly got ready for bed. She thought about young Korra, still wondering why she had gone, wondering how long she could last on the ice on her own. Her parents might have taught her a few basic survival skills, but nothing like what she'd need—and Katara herself hadn't thought to teach Korra anything along those lines. Korra did know how to bend fire, but…

Katara shook her head, her eyes closed. A tear fell.

_My little Waterbender._

She sighed and got into bed. Her eyes threatened to overflow with tears…

Then she noticed there was a blue glow in the room.

She sat up. She had seen it before, and she knew who it was. The tears truly came now that he was here, because that could only mean one thing.

Katara cried. "Oh, Aang… Aang, I'm so sorry…"

Aang was there, all right—in spirit form, middle-aged, in the prime of his strength… and smiling. He raised his hands in a calming gesture.

_Don't worry._

"What?" Katara tilted her head. "Aang, I don't understand."

Aang's smile grew wider. He spoke again, slowly. Katara couldn't hear anything, but she could read his lips.

_Don't worry. Everything will be all right._

"Aang…" Katara pointed away. "Korra is lost, out there someplace. How can you say everything will be all right?"

Aang shook his head, still smiling. _It will be. Trust me. Everything will be fine._

Katara frowned at him. "Easy for you to say."

Aang grinned, shrugged, and faded.

Katara sat there in the gathering dark, puzzling out how things could possibly be "fine"—then she smacked herself in the forehead with her palm.

"Ohh-_hhhhhhhh!_ I should have asked him where Korra was!"

o o o

The next morning brought the dawn… and also a very sheepish little Waterbender.

"_Where have you been?_" asked Pesut, as furious as Katara had ever seen him.

"I went out for a walk!" answered Korra. "I heard something, and I wanted to see what it was."

"And you didn't think to tell someone."

"Well, no. I didn't want to bother anybody."

Pesut towered over her. "You have had this _entire compound_ _bothered _for _two_ days because you didn't tell someone that you were going out, or _where_ you were going. Why?"

"Like I said, I didn't wanna bother anyone. I didn't think I'd be gone that long."

"Why _did_ you go out, Korra?" Katara asked, before Pesut could fire another indignant broadside. "What did you find?"

Korra grinned. "I'm glad you asked, Sifu. Lemme go get 'er." She scampered out of the room.

Despite everything, Pesut was surprised. He raised his eyebrows. "Her?"

A few moments later, Korra returned, her arms full of a four-legged ball of fluff she could barely carry. Pesut's eyebrows went even further up his forehead. "That… is a polar bear dog pup."

"Yeah, she is. I heard her whining outside. It took me a while to find her. I guess she got lost from her mom or somethin'."

"That, young lady, is exactly what we thought had happened to _you!_ You left the safety of the compound without telling anyone, without _thinking_ you should ask someone if you should, for the sake of a polar bear dog pup?"

"I couldn't leave her out there to die! An' I couldn't go an' find her mom, could I? I do have some sense. You gotta get your priorities straight!"

Amidst the smattering of snickers, Katara tilted her head back and closed her eyes. _Of all the words you could have used, Korra…_

It took a moment for Pesut to recover his dignity. "Nevertheless, you were outside the compound without permission. You will be restricted to your room outside of mealtimes or training with Master Katara."

"Aw…" Korra's shoulders slumped.

"And you will not be allowed to have that _thing_ around anymore. You must get rid of it."

"But why?" asked Korra, anguished. "She'll die out there without her momma! We can't just shove 'er back out there in the cold!"

"Yes we can, and yes we will. That polar bear dog pup is a carnivorous animal that could easily eat _you_, and it has no place inside this compound."

"By the way, Korra," Katara interjected, "how _did_ you survive a night out there on your own?"

Korra, about to unleash another anguished outburst, stopped and broke into a beaming smile. "It was the two of us," she said. "I found her huddled next to a snowdrift, trying to get warm. I tried to get her to move, but she wouldn't—so I Waterbent an igloo around us. We kept warm together. In the morning I thought she'd like some fish, so I made a hole in the ice and caught some. She only ate the smaller ones, though." She giggled. "Until I used my Firebending to cook one. _Then_ she liked the bigger fish." A few chuckles went around the room.

Korra took a step forward, polar bear dog pup and all. She looked up at the leader of the White Lotus. "Master Pesut, I know I'm in trouble, but I did it for a good reason. Naga shouldn't have to be punished because of me."

Katara's eyebrow went up. " 'Naga'? "

"Yup, that's what I named her. 'Cause she squirms like a snake so much." The pup obligingly tried to wiggle out of Korra's grasp.

"I see." Pesut pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and considered.

For a moment, Naga was the only one making any noise. Katara looked from Korra, to Naga, to Pesut. There was an opportunity here, if they were sharp enough—and bold enough—to grasp it.

"And what do you propose to do with Naga," Pesut continued, "if we don't, as you put it, 'shove her back out into the cold'?"

Korra drew herself up. "I'll take care of her."

"_You_ will take care of her."

"Yeah, I will."

Pesut looked at her coolly. "And what does that mean to you, precisely? 'Take care of her'?"

"Well, it means… take care of her! Get her food and water! Take care of her when she gets sick! Teach her how to behave—like you are with me!"

"So you will see that she gets food and water, you will take care of any mess she makes, you will fix or make good on anything she breaks, and you will see that she is trained so that she does not do these things?"

Korra thought about it… then nodded. "Yes, I will." Then she looked apologetically at Katara. "With a little help sometimes."

Except for Naga, the room was silent again for a moment.

"Your pardon, Master Pesut," said one of the White Lotus guards, "but I used to live down here. What you said is right—that is a dangerous, carnivorous animal. I agree the thing is cute, but it could turn on Korra at any moment. I don't care how well it's trained! It could turn on Korra, and hurt her—or worse."

Korra didn't like that. "But—"

"But at the same time," Katara interjected, "it _has_ formed a bond with Korra. She did save its life. She did give it food when it couldn't find any. Being careful is good, and I agree with your caution… but I also think we have an opportunity here." Korra nodded. The guard didn't look very mollified.

The room was silent as Pesut considered.

"Very well," he said. "Korra, you will see that Naga behaves. You will be responsible for her. If she misbehaves, you will be responsible for that, too. See that she doesn't."

"I will. I promise."

"Good. You will go with Hakkon. Hakkon, you will clear one of the small storerooms for Korra's use, one with a strong door. That will be where she keeps the polar bear dog pup for the time being."

The guard nodded. "Yes, Master Pesut."

"Yes, Master Pesut." Korra left the room with the guard, Naga in her arms. "Okay, Naga, I have to teach ya how to behave, so you better do it!"

As people dispersed, Katara turned to Pesut. "I'm surprised, Pesut. I honestly thought you were going to throw the polar bear dog pup out."

"So did I, Master Katara. But Korra's attachment to the pup made me consider otherwise. That… and I like to think we wouldn't pass up the opportunity for teachable moments. I am hoping that Naga will help teach Korra how to be responsible."

Katara smiled. "My compliments on your making use of such a unique teaching tool, Master Pesut."

Pesut smiled. "Thank you. I thought so, too."


	6. Chapter 6: Trial One - Water

Thanks, Summer, VividDreamer!

(makes notes for more Korra-Naga antics) :D

(shakes head) You know, Summer, I don't know why I didn't think of that. I actually wasn't thinking along the lines of Katara seeing an animal guide for Katara in Naga, but that makes perfect sense. I wish I had. And as to Katara being sneaky, VividDreamer, well... XD I feel Pesut is constantly hearing from Katara on how to do this, how to do that, how to do the other thing, given Katara's greater experience and wisdom-all common sense things, but Pesut doesn't think of them for one reason for another. This once, though... they're both on the same page. :D

I know this next one might be a little early (and Katara does too), but... I'll let things explain themselves. XD Chapter 6. And thanks again for reading and commenting, everybody.

* * *

**_6: Trial One: Water_**

The stars moved in their courses, and so the time came for Korra's Waterbending Mastery Trial: a match between Korra and three teenagers, one of them almost twice her age.

That the Trial was taking place now at all had been a matter of discussion.

Pesut had been taken by surprise. He looked across the table at Katara in the compound's meeting room. "What exactly are you saying, Master Katara?"

"I don't like this idea at all, Master Pesut." Katara's face showed it; she looked like she had eaten something bitter. "In my opinion, Korra has advanced enough in skill to be given her Master's Trial in Waterbending—even though she's only ten years old. There is more that I could teach her, but it's better if I wait until she has had lessons in the other Bending arts. I've run out of more elementary things to teach her. With that said, I don't like the idea that she's ten years old and I'm thinking about this."

"The world does need the Avatar, Master Katara, now more than ever." Pesut's coolness could really grate at times like this. "If you feel she is qualified, then she should be given the chance to advance, and to move on to her next set of training."

"That's the problem, Pesut. I feel that she is. I feel that she has learned enough and is ready to take the Trial, but is way too young to do so."

"You yourself passed your Master's Trial at fourteen, if I remember correctly," said Yao, a White Lotus Firebender.

"I did. I did, Master Yao." Katara looked at him. "But even then I had four more years of maturity that Korra doesn't have."

"Maturity she will gain in time," said Pesut. "I do not believe that is the issue. Do you believe Korra will be hurt if she takes the Trial, Master Katara?"

Katara was tempted to be dishonest, but then she would be lying about Korra and about her own teaching. "No, I don't think so."

"Well, then, let's see what she can do!" said Tanok, a Northern Waterbender. "Let her have the chance to show her stuff!"

Katara screwed up her face at that. "Tanok, if you were putting your own son out there—"

"I'd encourage him!" Tanok smiled enthusiastically. "And if he failed, we'd dissect his failure, train some more, and try again!"

"So long as the Avatar is not seriously hurt, I think she deserves the right to try," said Yao. "If she fails, we retrain. If she succeeds, we move on."

"I feel the same as Master Katara," said Tala, a Southern Waterbender. She looked at Yao and Tanok. "We have to keep a close eye on the match. Even if Korra is the Avatar, this is a _ten_-year-old we're putting out there. This feels very odd."

They discussed the matter a while longer, then decided in favor of holding the Trial. Katara wished she had kept her mouth shut, and yet she did think the decision was correct. Holding Korra back just because she was ten years old…

She shook her head. She felt ridiculous.

Pesut officiated at the match. Katara looked on, anxious for Korra's safety.

"Begin!"

All four combatants immediately gathered water and struck out at their targets—but Korra stepped into the attack, gathered in the three shots of water against her, curled them behind her back, and then hurled them right against her initial target. The young bender was prepared for Korra's first attack but not ready for her second. In the middle of returning the first shot, Korra's second huge thrust of water blasted into him, snapped his head back, and knocked him down—and out.

One.

The girl Waterbender, a friend of the first, was enraged. She charged Korra, slinging water at her all the way. Korra was surprised and could only bat them away at first, but she regained her composure and threw the girl's shots back, slowing her advance. A few paces apart, the two engaged in a furious water whip duel, slashing, blocking, counter slashing. Eventually Korra jabbed out with her left hand and connected hard with a water punch to the girl's right shoulder, spinning her around. As the girl regained her balance, Korra gathered extra water and flooded the girl with it, then froze it solid. The girl, only head and hands exposed, futilely struggled to break free.

Two.

The last Waterbender, almost twice as old as Korra, centered himself, acting as if he knew it would come to this. He had tried to snipe at Korra while the girl engaged her, but his teammate kept getting in the way. Now he wouldn't have that problem.

He and Korra attacked in classic style, each summoning water, hurling it at their opponent, gathering in their opponent's attack and hurling that back as well. Soon there were three bodies of water shushing around in the air, then four, then five. The two benders were constantly in motion, constantly gathering and striking. The field was a continuous movement of water.

Then the older Waterbender launched one strike out on a long wide curve, outside the pattern they'd established, and he curved it around and brought it in behind Korra.

It hit. Korra was knocked flat on her face. All the water Korra had been bending fell into the field.

She scrambled to get up, knowing the other bender had more strikes coming in. She got to her feet… and there was a smug expression on the other bender's face.

Katara thought she had seen Korra angry before.

She hadn't.

Korra glared at the older Waterbender and stomped, not ran, toward him. She replied to his Waterbending by simply knocking down what he threw at her as a mask of pure fury grew on her face. The older bender grew more and more concerned as she grew closer and closer and nothing he threw at her could penetrate her defense.

A few paces away she called water to her. Still marching toward her foe, she formed it into a massive water octopus. Then she struck. And struck. And struck. And struck. Hands and arms still in contact with the water, she used it as an extension of her body to beat at her opponent, pummeling him with the arms of the octopus.

The first few blows the older bender was able to block or divert, but Korra kept on coming at him, her rage translated into a fury of ever faster blows. Soon one blow connected. Then another. Then another. The meaty smack of water hitting flesh filled the air.

Then, when it was clear he could put up no more resistance, Korra backed up a pace, snaked out with a water whip, and ripped him off of his feet. He crashed into the snow and stayed there, motionless.

Korra walked off the field showing a mix of emotions: pride and happiness at having met the test, anger at having been knocked down from behind, and vengeful satisfaction at having disposed of her foe.

Three.


	7. Chapter 7: The Old Ship

Thanks, VividDreamer, drpepperfreak! And thanks twice, VividDreamer. XD Please, do reference. I'd love to see where you go.

Chapter 7. Thanks again for reading, everybody, and most especially for commenting!

* * *

**_7: The Old Ship_**

Korra had a short break with the end of her formal Waterbending training, and then she moved on to Earthbending. To facilitate Korra's bonding with her new teacher, the White Lotus asked Katara to take a vacation. The timing was good. Pema was about to give birth to her second child.

It was wonderful seeing Tenzin and Pema again. Katara was surprised to see Jinora tethered down in her trundle bed, but then she realized what it meant—and cried with joy. Jinora was an Airbender, the first of Aang's grandchildren to be so. Tenzin was a sun of pride, he glowed so much. He looked a _little_ less serious. (Serious, uptight, worried, less _something_—and more something else.)

Still, it was just a visit… Katara wasn't going to stay in Republic City for long. She couldn't; there was the rest of Korra's training to see to. Katara stayed with her son and his family as long as she felt she could, then headed once again for her first home, the South Pole. Her plan was to go home, gather a few things, touch base with the White Lotus, and head to wherever Korra was.

"Wherever Korra was" turned out to be right where Katara had left her—the South Pole. Katara had thought that the White Lotus would establish a new base camp in the Earth Kingdom, or better still, migrate around the Earth Kingdom as Aang had, learning its culture along with its bending style. But no; Korra hadn't been moved. The White Lotus had shipped in earth along with the Earthbending teacher.

"I guess they'd rather bring the mountain to Kyoshi than bring Kyoshi to the mountain," her friend Rava observed, chuckling at the whole thing.

Katara found the metaphor slightly flawed—from what she knew of Kyoshi, the Earthbender Avatar would have brought the mountain to herself _on her own_, never mind any nonsense of having people bring it to her—but she did agree with Rava's point. Bring earth to the South Pole? Really? Not to mention it was terrible to lose the opportunity of having Korra learn Earth Kingdom culture firsthand from some of the Earth Kingdom's people.

"Korra is still _young_, Master Katara," Pesut said in answer. "She's only ten years old. We're better able to protect her by bringing earth _here_ for her."

"I _know_ she's only ten years old," Katara said. "And that's precisely my point! She's missing the chance of getting to know the people of the Earth Kingdom as she grows up! That's invaluable to her learning as the Avatar. I think she'd be well-protected enough with enough of us around."

"Teachers and artists have been brought here from the Earth Kingdom." Pesut adjusted his glasses. "Korra will have plenty of opportunities to learn of the Earth Kingdom's culture—_if_ she avails herself of them."

Katara waved that off. "Pesut, that's the same as going to a Water Tribe restaurant in Republic City and being told by the staff you're at the South Pole. Would you rather sit in a class and be _told_ about something, or go there and actually experience it? It's a veneer of culture, not an immersion—an immersion Korra needs! Let me take her, now and then, along with some people from the White Lotus. Or at least let _someone_ take her!"

Pesut was unmoved.

"She is too _young_."

The dignified Katara of present day wouldn't allow it, but inside, the Katara of the past all but had steam coming out of her ears.

o o o

Eventually Katara cooled down enough to see the virtue in taking her time with that argument. There were battles and there were sieges, as Sokka used to say, and it was important to know which to conduct. This siege she would conduct as she saw fit—and most certainly, the rocky skulls of the White Lotus leadership would take time to penetrate.

She missed Sokka. He would have seen her point.

All the same, she still was part of the group educating the Avatar, and so she was allowed time with Korra for continuing her training. Korra was very glad of it.

"Augh! _Man!_ Just how slow can they go with Earthbending training? I mean, 'move a rock'. _Really?_"

Katara smiled, looking at Korra as they walked. "Isn't that what they're supposed to do?"

"Yeah, but… he wanted me to move _a—rock. A—rock._ I'm the Avatar! Of course I can move _a—rock!_ I've been doing it since I was a kid! Show me something I _don't_ know!"

"Well, from my point of view, you are _still_ a kid—" Korra made a face, "—and maybe your teacher isn't familiar with you yet. After all, Aang didn't know how to Earthbend right from the start."

"That was Aang. This is me! I _know_ how to Earthbend already!"

"Well, maybe he'll pick up the pace tomorrow."

"He'd better."

"I'll talk to him."

"Good."

Katara and Korra were walking along one of the expanses of snow and ice outside the cluster of Water Tribe villages and, more importantly for Korra, outside the White Lotus compound. Naga ambled around them, plowing through snowdrifts, chasing seagull pigeons. She had tripled in size under Korra's care, and she was surprisingly well-behaved.

Relatively, that is. Korra had tied her up to an igloo so that she and Katara could go walking. Naga had wound up dragging the igloo along. That had taken some repair and more than a little explanation.

"And another thing," said Korra. "Why do I have to sit still so long '_contemplating the Earrrrrrth_'?"

That was a surprise. Katara frowned. "What?"

Korra sniggered. "Seriously. Near the end of every session with Master Su Lao, I have to sit nice and quiet in the corner and think about the Earrrrrrth, how it was forrrrrrrmed, think about the layerrrrrrrs…"

"Oh. That."

Korra gave her a funny look. "That what? You know about this?"

"I do," said Katara. "Master Su Lao's concerned about your spiritual health."

"My what?"

"He feels that since you can't bend Air, you may need more help with the spiritual side of bending."

"The spiritual si—" Korra looked annoyed. "Sifu, I don't mean to complain, but—"

Katara smiled. "Oh, you mean to complain."

"Okay, I do, but… I feel like Master Su Lao is trying to slow things down. Like with this! 'Spiritual side of bending.' What is he talking about? It's weird!"

Katara considered her words. Fortunately a seagull pigeon flew by low enough and slow enough that Naga thought she could catch it. She bounded after the bird, showering Katara and Korra with kicked-up snow.

Korra sputtered snow out of her face. "Aw, Naga, ya big goof! Come back here!" Katara laughed, and Korra joined in. Naga just enjoyed chasing the bird. Eventually she came back, birdless but panting and happy.

They walked further along the ghostly ice.

Again Korra exhaled. "I feel like I'm stuck in a cage all the time. I get to go home _maybe_ once every few days, and when I do? Pffft! I can't do anything. I can't even play with my friends."

Katara's eyes widened slightly. "You can't play with your friends at all?"

"Well, I can play with them, but not _play_ play with 'em. I can't do anything rough." She made a face, and her voice took on a mocking tone. "_The White Lotus_ wouldn't like it."

"I see." Katara hid a smile.

"And when I _do_ get back to the compound—teachers, teachers, teachers. Stuff to write, stuff to read, stuff to make, stuff to remember, stuff, stuff, _stuff!_ How am I supposed to remember all this?"

Katara sighed and looked skyward. "I warned them about that."

"You what? You did? Then why didn't they do something about it? You're Sifu Katara! You're the Avatar's wife! I'm just a kid! How can I remember all that?"

Katara couldn't help but smile. She put her hands on her hips. "Oh, _now_ you're just a kid again, huh?"

"I _am!_ How can I remember all th—" Then Korra stopped, realizing what she was saying. Her own hands went to her hips, and she frowned at Katara. "You know what I mean."

"Okay." Katara smiled, and considered. "To answer your questions, _Avatar_ Korra…"

Korra nodded. "_Yeah._"

"When you were born, several of us got together to talk about what we should do for the next Avatar. We didn't know who you were yet or how you'd be, but we all agreed you should be well-educated."

"Aw, man!" Korra threw her arms down. "You mean I gotta be a Scrollbender _too?_"

"Sometimes." Katara smiled. "As the Avatar, you will be _the_ arbiter of what is right and wrong in cases where there is no clear authority—and sometimes even when there is."

"'Arbiter'? What's that?"

"The decider. The one who's in charge when there's a dispute."

Korra grinned. "Yep. That's me."

"So to do that, you have to know as much as you can—not just how to bend Water, Earth, Fire, and Air, but everything about the Bending Nations. What it is that makes them who they are, why they live the way they do—so that that way, you can make the best judgment possible."

Korra stopped, blankfaced. "That's… a lotta stuff."

Katara nodded. "It is. I know we can't teach you everything, but we can give you a head start. It takes a lifetime of learning, most times. But we _can_ teach you how to read and write, as well as as much as we can about the world."

Korra was still stunned. "That's a lotta… but when am I… how am I gonna… when am… when am I ever gonna get a chance to be _me?_ Just me? When am I ever gonna get the chance to have _fun?_ To do stuff _I_ wanna do? When am I—"

Katara laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked into Korra's eyes. "You're not alone in this, you know. That's one of the reasons _I'm_ here."

"Whaddaya mean? You can't learn all this stuff for me!"

"No, I can't. But I do know that while that's part of what being the Avatar means… that's not the only part. You're human, Korra. You're supposed to be. And part of being human… is having fun. Taking a break. _Not_ be all-Avatar, all-the-time. If nothing else, I can try to explain that to the others, and intercede for you."

"Well, good!"

"And speaking of interceding…" Katara made to go on, but lost the words she was going to use. She sighed. "This isn't going to be easy."

Korra looked over, uneasy. "What isn't?"

"The whole matter of spirituality. It means different things to different people."

"Sifu—that doesn't help very much."

"I know." Katara opened her mouth to say more, then shook her head. "Someone like Aang's Guru Pathik might be able to explain—although come to think of it, the way Aang put it, Guru Pathik could describe how to get there, not where it is you're going…"

"Sifu, I don't understand! What are you talking about?"

Katara smiled sadly. "That's the problem. As the Avatar, you're the bridge between our world and the Spirit World, but how to form that bridge is an intangible thing. To describe it is a real problem; you have to have been there. And 'there' varies from person to person, making it even harder to describe. Master Su Lao and others think that because you can't Airbend, you need to strengthen your spiritual side, so they're trying to teach you how to meditate."

"But that's something your son Tenzin can help me with! Why are they doing it?"

Katara nodded. "That's partly my thinking too. In addition to which, I feel spirituality is something you have to experience for yourself. I can tell you what I think about it, but that's what _I_ think. It may not tell you where _you_ need to go. But as I said, others don't feel as I do."

"So why can't you—oooo! What's that?"

Katara was glad for the break. Then she saw what Korra had reacted to, and she almost wished Korra had kept on talking.

In the distance there was a faint outline of a ship.

"I'm gonna check it out." Korra started running toward it.

Katara reached out. "Korra, wait!"

Korra stopped. "Why? It's just a ship."

"Yes, and I want to go there with you."

"Why?" Korra turned impish. "Is it _dangerous?_"

"It was, once. Aang and I got trapped in it. And there could be more traps in it, even now. So wait for me."

"Oh, all right." Korra slowed down enough to let Katara keep pace. Barely.

The ship was more deteriorated than when Katara had seen it last, she saw as it came into view. The polar winds had finally claimed the flag that had flown at the mainmast, and the ship's superstructure was worn away in several places, gnawed on by decades of wind, water, and salt. It looked slightly melted under the elemental assault. Still, there was no question in Katara's mind as to what it was.

That wasn't true for Korra. "It's a ship. So what?"

"_That_ is the remains of a Fire Nation warship. Waterbenders of the Southern Water Tribe caught this ship in the ice, back during the War over a hundred years ago."

"So you helped 'em catch it, huh, Sifu?"

"No…" Katara took a playful swipe at Korra, who danced back and laughed. "This happened a long time before _I_ was born. It was still here when Avatar Aang came to our village for the first time."

Korra rolled her eyes. "Obviously."

"Aang and I had just finished penguin sledding when we came up to this ship, completely by accident. _He_ wanted to explore. _I_ didn't. He said, 'If you want to be a bender, you have to take risks.' I was just learning how to bend Water back then. I followed."

Korra's impishness was back. "Why? Did you _like_ him?"

Katara glared at her with a smile. "Not yet. Not like that." Korra laughed. "I felt that he was a full-fledged bender and I wasn't, so he knew more about bending than I did." Katara shook her head. "It was foolish."

"Why?"

"We got trapped inside the ship and set off a booby trap, and the trap set off a signal flare, alerting Prince Zuko to where we were." Katara looked skyward. "Of course, if that hadn't happened, Zuko wouldn't have taken Aang, we wouldn't have chased Zuko, Aang wouldn't have had to break free, and a lot of adventures that followed might never have happened. But perhaps Zuko would have found us anyway." Katara looked at Korra and smiled. "He was very persistent."

"Yeah, I heard about _him_."

"I bet you did. Still, I was so starstruck then. Aang was _the Avatar_. The one who would bring balance to the world and end the war. He was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. A _real bender_. And I followed him right into that ship."

Katara returned to Korra. "I learned later on that being a bender didn't automatically mean that you have to take chances… and that sometimes the Avatar can charm the socks off you if you're not careful." She gave Korra a poke.

"Hey!" Korra giggled. "So is that why you brought me here? To teach me a lesson about your Avatar?"

Katara shrugged. "No. It just worked out that way. I didn't plan on us coming here."

"Huh." Korra folded her arms, unconvinced.

Katara thought for a moment, unsure of what to say next… then a smile grew on her face.

"However… you say they didn't let you do any rough stuff when you're home, right? Nothing they think is even slightly dangerous?"

"Yeah…?"

Katara smiled. "How would you like to go penguin sledding?"


	8. Chapter 8: The Dark Side of the Moon

Thanks, Irako, VividDreamer, NofriendsInc, Lara Croft! (And glad you're back, Lara! :D)

I wish I had thought of that, Irako. That is a spot-on analysis with regard to Korra being a prodigy, and while it was in the back of my mind while I was writing, it wasn't in my mind in that particular way. I'm tempted to have a wisened-up Azula come visit her now, with a warning. I think I have had Katara trying to "apply the brakes" some and teach Korra some "soft skills", and there will be one other story head where brute force on Korra's part, um... doesn't work. XD

When I wrote "Fire Burp", I saw Korra as a powerful, willful little child who probably _would_ have fire burped through a South Pole's worth of water, but she stopped because she was forming a good respect for Katara and because Katara was playing by the rules-so Korra, by the rules, felt she should acquiesce. I didn't get into things as much in the full story, but I didn't see Korra's Earthbending and Firebending Masters establishing the same kind of relationship with her that Katara did, and so Korra didn't gain the same level of respect for them as she does for Katara. She does respect Katara and Tenzin, and she loves her parents... Gosh, disciplining Korra would have been a task in itself. XD I would think Korra would have some respect for Lin, after everything that happens, but the rest of the force... oof. Not so good.

I hope that Mike and Bryan are setting Korra up for a journey, since because she's so good at "conventional" bending, she now will find herself in a place where it's not of much use. I hope. Thank you for that great review, Irako.

I also felt there was one other kind of bending that Katara _must_ touch on while Korra's in her care, so... Chapter 8. And thanks again for reading, everyone, and most especially for commenting.

* * *

**_8: The Dark Side of the Moon_**

The days and seasons came and went as Korra continued her Earthbending training. Katara was surprised at the changes coming over Korra, although in hindsight she wondered why she had been. Angry and willful before, eleven-year-old Korra was now stubbornly buckling down, engaging in her studies. She _was_ the Avatar. She _was_ going to deal with it. She _was_ going to shoulder the load. That's who she was, and that was that.

Of course, there were also days when the volcano named Korra took control, and those days weren't as smooth. One outlet Korra had was her Earthbending training, and Katara didn't envy Korra's Earthbending teacher at all. She was glad she wasn't in a place where someone could throw rocks at her.

However, that didn't mean that Korra's Earthbending teacher couldn't throw rocks _back_.

Katara looked up from the book she was reading to find Korra limping into her training room. "What happened to _you?_"

"Nah, nothing much. I think I finally got through to Master Su Lao, though." Korra gingerly lifted her bad leg. "He doesn't like having rocks bent at him. He bent them back at me." She lowered the foot. "I wasn't ready."

"I should say so." Katara put down her book and came over. "What made you do that?"

Korra shrugged. "I wanted more Earthbending action than he was giving me." She grinned. "I got it."

"Well, let that be a lesson to you." Katara knelt down. "Let me take a look at that foot." She started taking Korra's mukluk off.

That made Korra uncomfortable. "Really, Sifu, you don't have to do that—I was gonna see the healer after training—"

"I might as well save Tala the trouble—and save _you_ from having to explain how this happened. Now sit down."

"What?"

After getting Korra to sit down, Katara took off the young Avatar's mukluk and stocking. She felt Korra's foot all over, gently but firmly, then checked the leg. "Hmm, just a bruise. That's good. Nothing's broken." She bent some water out of a nearby bucket and held it around the bruised ankle. She focused.

"Sifu, honest, I do wash my feet, you don't have to—hey…" The bruise began to fade, and the tightness on Korra's face gave way to wonder. Then she smacked herself in the head and smiled. "That's right. _You're_ a healer, too!"

"Yes, I am. I _was_ going to save this for some of your later lessons… but for someone like you, who leads with her chin—" Katara tweaked Korra's chin with her thumb and forefinger; Korra drew back, smiling. "—Teaching you how to heal yourself might be a good idea."

The water drained the bruise of the rest of its color. Katara bent the water back into the bucket.

"That's really cool," Korra said.

"I think it's best to have you feel the effect of the water as I'm doing it; it's hard to describe. I learned myself by accident, and then later I learned the full technique at the North Pole."

"Yeah? How'd it happen?" Korra drew her legs up to her chest with her arms, bare foot and all. "How'd you learn by accident?"

"It wasn't fun, I can tell you that." Katara grimaced. "I'd gotten burned by accident, and I ran to the river to put my hands in some water. I just wanted the cool water to take my pain away, and the next thing I knew… it had."

"How did you get burned? You're a Waterbender."

"That's the not-fun part. Aang did it. By accident."

Korra was astounded. "_Aang_ did it? But he loved you!"

"Well, this was before—I mean—oh, I'm not exactly sure anymore." Katara smiled. "It could be he loved me even then and I didn't realize it. I don't know. Certainly he didn't mean to burn me. It was a few months after I had first met him, and Aang was trying to learn Firebending from Master Jeong Jeong in the Fire Nation."

"Jeong Jeong?" Korra frowned. "But Avatar Aang learned Firebending from the dragons, and from Fire Lord Zuko."

"I'm coming to that. We were on our way to the North Pole, and passing through the Fire Nation we found a Firebending Master, Jeong Jeong. Aang felt he had to learn Firebending sometime, so that was a good time to do it." Katara shook her head. "It wasn't a good idea. Aang lost control of the fire he was bending, and I got burned. On the good side, I did find out I could Waterheal—but it gave us all a painful lesson in doing things in balance, under control. I have to wonder if Aang as an Airbender was meant to learn Fire last, so he could control it."

"I heard that the Firebenders really got powerful when Sozin's Comet came around." Korra laid her head on her knees. "What was that like?"

"Terrible. Absolutely terrible." Katara was grim. "I was with Zuko when he confronted his sister, Fire Lord Azula. I have rarely felt so helpless. Zuko and Azula fought with rivers of fire they made with their own hands; it was amazing the Fire Nation Capital wasn't destroyed. Then when Azula brought Zuko down with lightning… you want to talk about terrified? That was me."

Korra grinned widely. "But _you_ brought Azula down with _Water_."

"Yes, I did." Katara smiled. "I was lucky and I was able to think straight for just long enough. But yes—freezing water caught Azula… and saved my life. And then afterward, Waterhealing helped Zuko recover from Azula's lightning."

"So you can freeze people with it and you can heal people with it. Can you do anything else with it?"

Katara made to reply—then stopped.

Korra grinned. "Well? Go on."

"There is. It's the most powerful form of bending I've ever known, and the most dangerous." All the humor was gone from Katara's face.

Katara looked at Korra. "You know that our Waterbending is stronger at night, stronger still when the moon is full. On such a night a Waterbender from the Southern Tribe, the second to last besides me, taught me about Bloodbending—and then used it on me in an attempt to get me to use it. It worked. I had no choice."

She looked down, hands in her lap. "In Bloodbending you are literally bending the water in another person's body to make them do what you want—whatever you want. The feel of having someone Bloodbend you is terrible. You have lost control of your own body, and there is nothing you can do about it. The feeling of Bloodbending someone else is even worse." She slowly clenched her hands into fists. "That feeling of control crawls inside you. It was one of the most evil things I have ever done." Katara closed her eyes. "The first time I did it, I had no choice. Someone was using Bloodbending against _me_, so I Bloodbent back in self-defense. The second time…" She shook her head.

After a moment filled with dread, Korra found her voice… but even then, she spoke softly.

"I think you should teach me Bloodbending so that nobody can Bloodbend _me_."

"No."

"But I—"

"No!" Katara glared sharply at Korra. "I will not teach you Bloodbending. Years ago someone else learned Bloodbending and used it in Republic City. They used it on Avatar Aang—but he was able to get into the Avatar State, and that broke the hold the Bloodbending had on him. He took that man's bending away from him, as he did with Fire Lord Ozai."

Katara softened her gaze. "I was tempted to teach Aang Bloodbending then, so it wouldn't happen again, but if I had…" Katara grew fearful. "Korra, there is such a temptation in using Bloodbending, to control someone else completely. It will _corrupt_ you, and I don't want that to happen." Tears came to Katara's eyes. "I don't want that to happen to you."

Korra wanted to ask again, to tell Katara she could control it, that she could resist the temptation… but the look on Katara's face was so fearful, fear mixed with horror. Her Sifu, calm, wise, reasoned, always ready with an explanation… afraid.

She had never seen fear on Katara's face before.

It broke any argument she had.

She shuffled over to Katara and hugged her. "All right, Sifu. All right."

o o o

The memory of that conversation faded as Katara thought of other things during the day, dealt with other things, so that by day's end, the thought was very faint. As Katara readied for bed that night and blew out the lamp, though, there was a soft blue glow in the room.

"Aang." She smiled. "I'm glad you came tonight."

_Me too_. He smiled in return. _Is there a time when you're not glad?_

She shook her head. "Not that _I_ can think of."

_Same here_. He smiled about that, then grew serious. _I sensed you were troubled today_.

"I was." She grimaced. "Bloodbending came up when I was training Korra today."

_Oh_.

There was silence for a moment, then Katara shook her head again. "I can't tell you how often I've wondered about my decision… whether I should have trained you or not. Whether I made the right choice."

_I trust your decisions. I always have_.

"Yes, but Yakone learned from someone… maybe even from Hama. There could be others out there. But it's so…" She grew fearful. "Aang, I really worry for Korra. I really do. If I teach this to her… I don't know what it'll do to her."

_Yes. And every Avatar after her will have the potential for the skill._ Aang nodded, serious. _It's certainly something no Avatar has had to deal with before. And as for suppressing the knowledge…_ He looked at the floor._ Killing Hama would have done it from the start, but…_

"You could no more have done that than you could have killed Ozai. I know."

After a moment, Aang smiled. _I trust your judgment. It has been wrong, but far more often it's been right_.

Katara sighed. "I wish I had your confidence."

Aang came over to her on the bed and hugged her.

It wasn't a "real" hug, really, as he was in a world separate from hers, but she still felt something… something within her arms, something holding her. She looked into the light of his being with a sad smile.

He returned the smile, and its sadness, kissed her lips… and faded, leaving her in the darkness.


	9. Chapter 9: Frosted Flames

Thanks, VividDreamer, NofriendsInc, Irako!

I know the temptation is there, VividDreamer, for Korra to investigate Bloodbending; still is. I wouldn't think Mike and Bryan would touch on the subject again since it was the key to Book 1, but you never know. Yakone learned from someone, and that someone probably had other students, so… who knows?

Regarding "having the potential for the skill", NofriendsInc, I either heard it from or read it someplace that that was the case. It would make sense to my mind; if a past life of yours as the Avatar had learned a skill, that skill might be easier to pick up in your present life.

And I agree, Irako, and thank you. :D We did see Mako go to work as a Lightningbender in a power plant; Bloodbending used correctly would be a powerful tool. I guess they could license, register, and bond Bloodbenders to gain _some_ kind of… handle on its practitioners. (And could you imagine Meelo as a human C-PAP machine? Okay, scratch that thought. XD)

I agree too about Korra herself. I think she's a blunt instrument most of the time and could greatly stand to learn some subtlety, but she does have a good heart and a good moral code. You're dead on about Hell's paving company, too. XD

I have a confession to make, though; I was just throwing that out there about Azula playing a "Jacob Marley" of sorts for Korra—or at least at this point I don't have story written along those lines. As I don't know when Korra's Book 2 will premiere I don't know if I have time, either, although I do like the idea and might explore it separately. I'll advise if I do.

In the meantime, though… will her brother do? XD Chapter 9. Thanks again, everyone, for reading and for following, and as always, most especially for commenting. I love hearing what you think.

* * *

**_9: Frosted Flames_**

Pema and Tenzin had their third child close on the heels of their second—but this time, Katara didn't go to welcome their newborn, much as she wanted to. She wanted to show this child just as much love as she had shown Jinora and Ikki, but now things were more crucial with Korra. Now twelve, Korra was taking on higher level techniques in Earthbending, and as a consequence, as Aang's old Sifu Toph would have put it, Korra was becoming more and more rocklike. And it showed.

Katara did not think that was a good thing, her old friendly rivalry with Toph notwithstanding. That showed too.

"All right, hold on a moment," she said, interrupting Korra before she let loose another waterblast on a target. "Have you thought about what you're doing?"

"Yeah," Korra replied. "I'm enjoying blasting these targets." With that, she did so, and another one went flying.

"That's what I'm talking about. You're blasting away at them. There are other ways you can do that with Water."

Korra put her hands out to her sides, perplexed. "But it gets the job done! What's the problem?"

"The _problem_ is that when you're with me, you're Earthbending the water. You're treating it like it's another rock to throw at someone."

"Well, yeah, maybe I am. How is that bad?"

"Listen. What I am trying to do is give you options. You don't _have_ to just blast through everything." Katara gestured at one of the targets. "Say that target is a Fire Nation tank. Yes, you could blast off a tread if you wanted to, _or_ you could thread some water into its exhaust pipes and flood the engine!"

Korra smiled and rolled her eyes. "_Yes_, Sifu, I know I could flood the engine of the target."

"Well, think about it! Don't just blast! All right?"

"_Yes_, Sifu," came back the same sing-songy voice. Katara rolled her own eyes.

After a moment, Korra spoke again. "Uh, Sifu—one question."

"Yes?"

"Where _are_ the exhaust pipes on this 'tank'?"

"Well, they're…" Katara pointed—and realized that nothing qualified as an exhaust pipe on this obviously solid 'tank'. She turned and frowned at Korra. "Can't you use your imagination?"

"Sure, Sifu—but since you're the one that saw 'em, I thought you could point 'em out to me."

Katara gave her a light backhand to the shoulder. "Go on." Korra snickered. "You know what I mean."

"Yes, Sifu." And Korra snaked out some water whips to attack the 'tank'.

Korra was stubborn and willful enough. The Earthbending Master, Su Lao, was pushing Korra more in that direction. If Katara did go to Republic City now, by the time she got back, Korra might be changed further, and not for the better. Katara had to keep insisting on the ways of Water, to keep inserting them into Korra's mindset. Fluidity. Considering other possibilities. Endurance, yes, but endurance through patience as _well_ as stubbornness.

Then came news that an old ally of hers was coming.

A magnificent ship came up over the horizon, resplendent in red and gold. She came from the Fire Nation, and her passengers were royal.

The ship caused quite a stir when she entered Southern Water Tribe waters. Not many Fire Nation ships came to the South Pole—whether from past animosities or lack of interest on the Fire Nation's part, it was hard to say—and as this one carried members of the Fire Nation's royal family, one question was on everyone's lips: why? Something had to be up.

Katara had some clue, though, when she heard the news… and she wasn't alarmed at all.

The ship acknowledged the Water Tribe vessels guarding the harbor as she came in, and docked as if there was nothing extraordinary at all. Katara was there to meet the ship, and she smiled warmly on seeing her old friends coming down the gangplank. "Well, well… fancy seeing _you_ here again."

The old Lord of the Fire Nation smiled and half-bowed. "Better than the first time I came here, I think."

"Much." Katara hugged him, then let go a bit and held him at arm's length. "It's good to see you. How are you? How are you both?"

"How am I?" asked the elegant black and gold-clad lady at Zuko's side. "You tell me." She smiled drily. "Getting together again with my husband, I see."

"Oh, always," Katara said just as tartly. She hugged Mai too. "You're here to see Korra, I take it."

"Yes," said Zuko. "And we were due for some time away. It's been a while, for the both of us."

"I can imagine."

Later that day, Korra joined the group after she was done with her Earthbending lessons. Katara made the introductions. "Zuko, Mai, this is Avatar Korra. Korra, this—"

"Yes." Zuko interrupted with a smile. "And I gotta deal with it."

Korra made a face. "Sifu, are you still telling people to say _that_ lame thing?"

"No," said Zuko. "Katara didn't have anything to do with it. I just know you by reputation."

"Great." Korra folder her arms, annoyed. "_Now_ it's my reputation."

Katara chuckled. "Well, that will teach you, then." She gestured to Zuko. "Korra, this is Fire Lord Zuko and his wife, Fire Lady Mai."

"Just _Prince_ Zuko now, actually."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "Really? Then… your daughter?"

"Yes." Zuko smiled. "She was crowned two months ago. I'm no longer the Fire Lord."

"All right!" Korra pumped her fist. "A _girl_ in charge! She'll straighten things out!"

There was a merry glint in Zuko's eye. "You say that as if they weren't in charge in the first place."

That stopped Korra cold in confusion. "What…"

Mai matched Zuko's wicked look. Katara waved that away. "Later, Korra."

"I won't disagree." Zuko smiled proudly. "Our daughter _is_ better at some things than I am. We've been preparing for this moment for years. Now, she really is in charge. Of everything. And me…" He grinned. "Now I can do what I want. For the first time in years."

"What? I don't believe it." Korra pointed at Zuko. "You're the one running the place—or I mean, you _were_—or at least people _said_ you were—so you really couldn't do what you wanted to do? Even though you were in charge?"

"Yes." Zuko looked at Korra. "A lot of what I wanted to do was bounded by what I _really_ wanted to do—what my goals were. I couldn't just point at someone and say, 'Off with his head!'—even if I really wanted to."

"And despite what _I_ said," Mai said dryly.

Korra's jaw dropped. "You didn't—"

"No." Zuko frown-smiled at Mai, who merely lifted a merry eyebrow right back. "She didn't." He returned to Korra. "I wanted to make and keep peace in the Fire Nation and elsewhere, after the war. To do that, I had to control myself first. What I _had_ to do had to come before what I _wanted_ to do." He shrugged and smiled. "I did okay, I think."

"You're being modest," Katara said. She turned to Korra. "When Zuko became Fire Lord at the end of the war, he calmed the Fire Nation—even those who wanted to keep on fighting—and he laid a lot of groundwork for what was to come: the United Republic of Nations."

Zuko shrugged. "I had a lot of help." He looked to Korra again. "I would add, though, as odd as it sounds… chasing Avatar Aang all over the world was one of the best things I ever did."

Korra looked confused. "Would you mind explaining that?"

"Yes, do, please." Katara folded her arms, but she was smiling.

"I'll be happy to," said Zuko.

"Happy." Katara smirked. "Now that's an emotion I wouldn't think you'd associate with those days."

Zuko gave her a mock glare, and much to Korra's surprise, Katara stuck her tongue out at him. "Anyway," he continued, coming back to Korra, "you might remember that my father punished me by ordering me to 'find the Avatar'. Back then I thought that the only way to regain my honor was to have my father restore it to me. The only way that was going to happen was if I found and captured the Avatar—Avatar Aang."

"Yeah, yeah, find the Avatar, restore your honor, honor, honor, honor." Korra looked bored. "Read all about it in all those history scrolls."

Mai barely moved, decorous as always, but her smile grew merrier. For Katara's part, once upon a time she would have been afraid of Zuko's reaction to that… but she knew how her friend was now.

"Is that all they say about those days?" Zuko shook his head. "They really need to rewrite those scrolls. They're old. I agree that I was very concerned about my honor, but that's only part of the story." He came closer. "I learned a lot about honor that year… what I thought honor was, and how it was made. I think that was my uncle's doing, a lot of that." Katara and Mai smiled at that.

"I came to question who I was, how I was thinking. My very way of thinking." Zuko looked at Korra earnestly. "Ultimately I came to question the whole mission my father had sent me on. I even questioned my father himself. Once I did that, I found I had to serve the Avatar rather than capture him." Zuko chuckled. "It's ironic, too. Once I made up my mind to _serve_ the Avatar… I _did_ find him. So all in all, if I hadn't gone chasing after the Avatar, I wouldn't have learned about myself—and found peace."

"Well, there you go." Korra gestured to him. "I'm glad we could be of help to you."

Katara frowned at her. "Korra!" Korra giggled. Katara turned back to Zuko. "I'm glad." She smiled warmly at him. "I'm glad you found peace, Zuko. After all these years."

"Yes. In fact, I also found peace in another sense—the sense my uncle meant."

Katara looked at him, puzzled, then her eyes lit up. "You mean—?" Zuko nodded.

"What? What do you mean?" Korra squinted at Zuko. "What other sense?"

Zuko smiled and motioned for them to step back. He brought his hands to midlevel. Then, one hand went up and elegantly arced down, gathering charge. His other hand went up in turn, came down, and gathered more. Zuko brought his hands together, touched opposing fingertips, concentrated… then strode forward and stabbed outward with his right hand.

The sky darkened as lightning flashed out from Zuko's fingers and shot out over the open tundra.

Korra's jaw dropped. "You can Lightningbend! You _gotta_ teach me that!"

"I will." Zuko smiled. "When the time is right."

"Aw, _man!_"

"Finish your Earthbending studies first, then complete your studies of Fire _and_ Air, and _then_, when you are ready, come see me. I'll teach you. More importantly, I'll show you what to do when someone bends lightning at _you_."

Korra grinned. "It's a deal."

Zuko smiled at her again… then a look of surprise came to his face. He looked at Korra as if he were peering across time. "Isn't it strange…" he said half to himself.

"What? What is?" Korra tilted her head.

Zuko's voice was still rough, and soft. "That I should teach you to bend lightning, when I didn't teach Aang… and here I am at the end of my journey, and you at the beginning. Destiny _is_ a funny thing."

She screwed her face up. "What?"

Mai frowned. "Zuko…"

Zuko's eyes cleared, and he saw them all looking at them. He chuckled. "I'm sorry. I'm finding I'm more and more like Uncle in my old age." He came to Korra and put a hand on her shoulder. "What I meant to say, Avatar, was that if I had kept my mind more open at the beginning of _my_ journey, when I was still seeking 'honor'… I would have had a better time of it."

He grasped Korra's shoulder. "You are at the beginning of _your_ journey. Remember to keep your mind open. Learn. Adapt. Be open to accepting new ways." He let go of her. "That will help you better than anything I can teach you."

Katara beamed warmly at him. "I think your uncle would be very proud, Zuko." Zuko returned the look.

"So…" Korra put her hands behind her back and kicked the snow around. "You two seem awfully palsy-walsy nowadays. You two wouldn't have been… a couple back in the day, wouldja?"

"_No!_" Katara and Zuko said simultaneously—then they looked at each other and laughed. Mai joined them… eventually.


	10. Chapter 10: The Harness

Darn... I thought I'd get some comments with having old-Zuko in the story. Guess not.

Hope this one goes over better. Chapter 10. And thanks again for reading everybody, and especially for commenting. :D

* * *

**_10: The Harness_**

There were days when Katara's only access to Korra was at mealtimes. She did her best to be understanding and flexible—Water Tribe trait, after all—and she knew there were times when one had to immerse oneself in a subject of study in order to understand it. She bided her time.

She also thought Korra could stand to see some Water Tribe patience in action as an example. She thought.

Not that the thirteen-year-old seemed inspired to do likewise.

One day during lunch, Korra slapped her hand down on the table. "You know what—I'm gonna do it."

Katara tilted her head. "Do what?"

"I just got done with a cultural lesson on the Earth Kingdom. You know, how they ride ostrich horses? I didn't think much of it until I remembered another lesson I had on the Northern Water Tribe, how they put saddles on their animals up there."

"Okay…"

"I wanna make a saddle for Naga."

"Oh, sweetie, I don't know if that's a good idea." Katara looked at Korra with concern. "I know you've pretty much tamed Naga, but polar bear dogs are wild animals. They're not used to being ridden at all. Naga might not want to do that."

Korra's confidence hadn't dimmed. "She will—after I teach her."

"Korra—"

"Look, I've got it figured out. I'll ask the leatherworkers to make Naga a saddle. I'll let her wear it so she can get used to it, then I'll slowly get her used to the idea of carrying _me_. Then we can go on from there."

Katara was still skeptical. "Well, at least you aren't making the saddle yourself. That'd be asking for even more trouble."

"Well, of course not! I'm not a Leatherbender—_doi!_"

"Well, _doi_ yourself!"

Korra made a face at Katara, which she returned. They laughed.

"No, I know I oughta leave that to somebody who knows how," said Korra. "Naga's pretty big. This thing has to be sturdy."

"That's one way of putting it," said Katara, frowning. "Korra, this saddle has to be more than sturdy. If Naga throws you…"

"I know, I know…"

"And nobody's even trained a polar bear dog to ride before."

"Hey, nobody rode an ostrich horse before either. But somebody did, eventually. I figure _I'll_ be the one to do it with Naga!"

Katara narrowed her eyes. "If you go and break your neck out there…"

Korra put her hands out to the side and grinned. "Hey, that's what Waterhealing's for, right?"

Katara scowled at her.

o o o

It turned out that some of the leatherworkers' families originally came from the Northern Water Tribe, and they were familiar with making harnesses and saddles for buffalo yaks in the north. They rather relished the challenge of making one for a polar bear dog. As a matter of fact, between the visits of Avatar Aang to the South Pole and now those of his son Tenzin, the leatherworkers were also familiar with sky bison saddles. They added enhancements from that work to the "Northern" design.

Naga sniffed inquisitively at the leatherworkers as they measured her, but nothing untoward happened otherwise. Korra soon had her saddle.

That was the easy part.

Katara tried to keep her chuckles to herself as she watched what happened after. Naga growled at the leatherworkers as they tried to strap on the harness, and she snapped at one of them as they tried to fit and tighten the belly strap. Further attempts only annoyed Naga more—and made the leatherworkers value their fingers. It wasn't going to work.

So Korra tried fitting Naga with the saddle herself. Now Naga knew Korra, loved Korra, trusted Korra, but this… this was unusual. And uncomfortable. It made her itch, and she liked her belly scratched, not… whatever this was. That tightness around her middle had to go, along with everything else. And she told Korra so, in no uncertain and ever louder tones—but Korra wasn't listening. So the moment that belly strap started _really_ getting tight…

Up came the right hind foot, forward came the right hind foot, and off went the saddle over Naga's head, harness and all.

Korra was wide-eyed. "Naga!"

Naga gave herself a good hard shake then, when that didn't get rid of the itch, flopped over in the snow and wiggled to scratch the itch.

Katara chuckled.

Korra folded her arms. "Naga…"

What followed was a test of wills.

Korra threw a blanket over Naga's back (at the suggestion of one of the leatherworkers). Naga didn't react. Korra then started to manhandle the saddle into a lifting position, only to watch Naga walk off, blanket and all. Korra lowered the saddle and frowned.

Later, Korra came up to Naga and put the blanket on her. No reaction. Korra praised her and scritched her chin. Korra maneuvered the saddle into pace, hoisted it, and set it on Naga as gently as she could. No reaction. Korra praised Naga again, giving her back a good scratch under the blanket. She leaned down to tighten the straps. At the strap got tight around the middle, though… hind foot to back of saddle, and _foop!_ off went the whole assembly. Naga contented herself with more backscratching in the snow.

"Naga!"

Korra then approached Naga with a bucket of fish and tossed her a fish as a gesture of good faith. Naga eagerly gobbled it up. Again the blanket went on with another fish going to Naga. No reaction beyond Naga looking at the bucket. Korra grinned. The saddle went on, and another fish. Nothing. Korra grinned a little wider and began to tighten the straps.

Up went the hind leg, _foop!_ went the saddle, and away went Naga with the bucket of fish. Korra yelled at Naga, then stomped off fuming.

This went on over the next several days.

One morning, though, soon after breakfast, Su Lao came to see Katara. "Have you seen Korra?"

"Korra? No. I didn't expect to see her until lunch." Katara put down her book. "Did she not show up for Earthbending practice?"

"No. She didn't."

"Have you checked her room?"

The Earthbending Master looked sheepish. "No."

"Why not?"

Even more sheepishness. "I've never had to before. She's always been there for practice."

Katara got up. "If you like, I'll be happy to go with you—"

"Master Katara—if… you would, please… could you please check to see if she's there?"

Katara didn't understand the Earthbending Master's uneasiness, but she didn't want to make it worse for him. "I can, Master Su Lao. I'll let you know if I find her."

Su Lao looked relieved. "Many thanks, Master Katara."

With a light heart, Katara went to go check on Korra. She wasn't sure if it was a girl's bedroom that gave Su Lao pause or what exactly it was, but certainly she would do her part to help out. She went to Korra's room and knocked on the door.

And got yelled at in response. "_Go away!_"

_Her voice is strong enough_, Katara thought to herself. "Korra, it's Katara. Can I come in, please?"

"No! Go away!"

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine! Leave me alone!"

Katara thought for a moment. "Korra, what happened?"

"She ran away!"

"Who? Who ran away?"

"Naga! She ran away!"

"Naga…" Katara looked at the door, concerned.

"She ran away! I went to her stable this morning to get her her food, and she wasn't there! She ran away!"

Katara was hesitant. "Are you sure someone didn't… take her somewhere else? Someone might have—"

"No! I checked! She's gone!" Katara could hear the tears in Korra's voice. "She's gone! She's gone…"

"But why didn't you…?"

Katara ground to a halt. There were plenty of things she could have said, things she could have tried, but right now, from her own experience…

Sadly, she nodded. "All right. All right, I will let the others know. We'll look for her."

Nothing. Only crying.

"I will come back for you. Korra, you let me know…" She put a hand on the door. "I will be back. Korra, I will be back."

Silence. Then, weakly, "Okay…"

Katara went to tell the others.

o o o

The days that followed were painful.

Korra did come back to study with her masters eventually… but her heart wasn't in her work, or anything else for that matter. Most days she just looked out the window, silent and sad.

Katara knew not to push. She did know, though, that one day she would have to bring Korra around to what had happened, and why. How Korra herself had to learn how far to push, and when not to. How some actions have consequences and costs. How in this case she _had_ pushed too hard, too often, and as a result, someone she loved was gone.

Those were things Katara didn't say. She didn't say much in general, really; she just supported Korra, listened when Korra had things to say… and slipped a sea prune into Korra's dish when she wasn't looking. Korra hated them—_that_ much she had in common with Aang. Now, she ate them without notice or comment. Katara shook her head.

Korra did eventually come around—though not for the reasons Katara expected. Katara was walking toward their practice area, her mind on other things, when she was barreled into and knocked down by Korra.

"_Oooof!_"

The resulting impact—with Korra and the ground—wasn't enjoyable either, but Korra had a grin on her face as wide as her face would let her.

"I'm so sorry Sifu but I had to run and find you she's back she's back she's _back!_"

"_My_ back! I'm going to have a bruise for a week if I don't—wait. Who's back?"

"_Naga's_ back! I went down to her stall as I sometimes do, you know, and I saw her! She's curled up all safe and sound!"

Katara sat back, supporting herself with her hands. "Well, isn't that good news." She smiled warmly. "I'm so glad for you. I'm so glad for you, Korra." She leaned forward and gathered Korra into a hug. Korra gladly returned it.

And started to cry. "She's back. Sifu, I was so worried. She's back."

"Now, now, dear." Katara patted her back. "She's back now. You take care of her. You take care of her, she'll take care of you." They parted. Katara held up a finger. "And _you_… I'd lay off the riding lessons for a while, huh?"

Korra laughed. "Oh, Sifu." She hugged Katara again.

o o o

Korra did as Katara suggested and waited for her relationship with Naga to heal before doing anything else. After trying the saddle with Naga again and watching her continue to kick it off over her head, Korra also admitted she needed help in training Naga. Fortunately for her, some of the people who made Naga's saddle also had helped train buffalo yaks at the North Pole—although admittedly the teeth of the buffalo yaks didn't look quite as sharp.

With a lot of trust-gaining work (and a lot of fish and backscratching before and afterwards), Naga grew accustomed to carrying first a tied-on blanket, then a pretend-saddle, then the full saddle. Naga then was trained what it felt like to have a weight in the saddle, then Korra herself in the saddle, then Korra mounting the saddle onto Naga. The local fish population steadily declined, and Korra found herself spitting out snow more than a few times—as well as coming to Katara for sessions in Waterhealing. Those were fairly quiet.

Eventually Korra and Naga rode together, first around a small paddock, then inside the walled compound, and finally, at long last, they were let loose on the open tundra. Thundering across the icy plains of the South Pole together became something they both enjoyed. It was something that was satisfying to Korra on several levels: the exhilaration of galloping across the ice and snow. The accomplishment of something no one else had done. The meeting and beating of the challenge involved. The showing of patience and persistence in meeting that challenge. Korra felt it spoke volumes about who she had now become.

Katara, for her part, was glad she hadn't had to get into the teachable lessons Naga's flight had to teach. She too knew that Korra had learned from the whole experience. But… given how stubborn Korra had proven to be in her Earthbending training and during her Waterbending followups with Katara… Katara wondered if those lessons still lay in wait for Korra. Again.


	11. Chapter 11: Trial Two - Earth

Thanks, VividDreamer, Irako, Summer! :D

Actually, VividDreamer, regarding "Frosted Flames", I wasn't trying to take a swipe at Zutarians at all. I do ship Kataang, I freely admit that, but my thought was that if Korra was going to give Tenzin such a hard time about his past with Lin in the show, then she would do the same thing to Katara with Zuko.

"Totally saw the Lightningbending coming." Surrrrre, Summer. XD Hope things are going well with Jake's sibling-to-be! And I'd love to see your review for Chapter 9, Irako, if you do have it handy. Thanks for the summation, though. :D And I agree. That was my thought too. I could see Korra and Naga doing a lot of roughhousing, maybe even with a younger Korra _trying_ to ride Naga bareback, but actually riding her… that was something else, most especially since it involved a saddle. _That_ was not something Naga would automatically accept, in my opinion, even for Korra's benefit.

Oh, also, when you said Naga's "more intelligent than the average polar bear dog", the line "smarter than the average bear" came to mind. XD

That's an interesting thought, too, re Avatar Kuruk being a spiritual slacker. XD I could see that. He sure was neglecting something. Since he was such a bending showoff, I wonder if he was as much of a prodigy as Korra is? Hmm… Who knows—the man may tell us himself this season. Say, question—is it Iroh II that interests you, or Zuko's family? Or both?

I agree, too, VividDreamer—we're now getting closer to "present day", so I can, um… shade a little more into who Korra is now with what's going on. :D And speaking of which… Chapter 11. And thank you very much again, everybody, for reading, commenting, following… you know. XD

* * *

**_11: Trial Two: Earth_**

The days flew by before Katara's eyes. The amount of time she actually spent training with Korra grew less and less as Korra's other lessons increased; Earthbending training, classroom study, and now a martial arts teacher took up Korra's time in addition to Waterbending. Katara wondered if the new teacher was part of Suki's group. She made a note to ask.

Korra didn't gain much more in height, but she did gain in depth and in muscle. The woman she would become was now beginning to show, and Senna's and Tonraq's heritages were doing themselves proud. Some of the younger White Lotus guards seemed to take more of an interest in Korra's outdoor training sessions. On seeing that, Katara chuckled to herself. She wondered when she would have to mention _that_ to Pesut.

She did her best to spend as much time with Korra as she could, even if it was just at mealtimes or a late night chat now and then. She _wanted_ to be in touch with Korra, not only as her teacher but as a concerned older family member. Korra was growing up so fast; Katara hoped she wasn't growing up _too_ fast.

Katara smiled at herself. _Or maybe that's just the old mother in me, watching another of her children grow up. Too bad Timebending doesn't exist._ A sad smile. _Kya, Bumi, and Tenzin were off on their own before we knew it, too._

Then the day came for Korra's Earthbending trials.

Katara attended the trials as part of the White Lotus group. She was curious; she had seen Korra in action in _some_ of her Earthbending practices, but she didn't know the whole of what Korra had been taught. Not that she had any doubt as to the outcome. If the stubbornness the fourteen-year-old had gained from her Earthbending training had been actual rock, she would have sunk through the South Pole to the ocean below.

Katara knew two Earthbenders in the arena were from the White Lotus, men in their twenties; they were to Korra's left and right. The third Earthbender, the farthest from Korra, Katara didn't know. There was definitely something different about the third Earthbender as well; she too was in her twenties, but she was small, slight, and her hair stood out from her head in two conelike projections. Different, but familiar…

The arena they were to fight in was different as well. Gone were the blues and whites of the ice and snow; now the arena's surface was a uniform brown. No rocks or earth were visible, which told Katara that this surface wouldn't remain pristine for very long. She frowned at Pesut. _So you went and built an Earthen arena on top of bringing everything else here from the Earth Kingdom. "Bringing the mountain to Kyoshi", indeed._

_Of course, if you're going to go _that_ far, you might as well build the arena here, too—dumb idea as it was in the first place._ She chuckled. Su Lao flicked her a glance.

Pesut officiated this elemental Trial as he had the last. "Begin."

The two male Earthbenders immediately attacked, the left by levitating rocks with bending then kicking them at Korra, the right by sending an Earth current her way to slap at her. Korra stepped into the left-hand attack, thus avoiding the right-hand one, and brought up and kicked rocks of her own at the incoming projectiles. The rocks met in midfield and shattered, leaving behind a dusty haze.

Korra darted right, flipped over another incoming rock, "grabbed" it with her Earthbending while still in midair and hurled it two-handed back downrange. She followed that with an Earth current, but she broke that off and ducked—two rocks flew overhead, narrowly missing. Still on the ground, she brought up more rocks and kicked them out left. They skittered on the ground, losing most of their force, but she hoped their random arrival would throw off her attacker. She lashed out again at the one on the right.

This went on for a while, with Korra replying strike for strike with each attack that came in, but then her pace began to slow. Occasionally she would only bat an attack aside or just get out of its way.

"What's she doing?" asked Tanok, the Northern Waterbender. "She's not going to take them out that way."

"She's tiring," said Su Lao. He growled. "Blast her! I _told_ her she would use up too much of her energy trying to fight them all at once!"

"No. She's not." Katara frowned. "She's thinking. Look. She's looking at the other two Earthbenders, trying to gauge their attacks."

"She'd better," said Tanok. "She's not getting anywhere fast this way."

Korra dodged one last attack—then she did something very Korra-like.

She charged.

Katara's face fell. "Oh, no."

Korra headed for the middle, going straight between the two White Lotus Earthbenders. There she stopped, and waited.

Certainly the two men were surprised. They had hoped to catch Korra in their crossfire; they hadn't expected Korra to sit in the middle and beg for it.

They obliged. One of them even smiled.

Again they began their assault, not just kicking up rocks at her and sending Earth currents, but hurling whole columns of rock and earth at her.

Then Korra smiled.

Rocks hurled at her she simply dodged and hurled past herself with even greater force. Columns of earth she did the same, elevating them slightly, sending them over her and on to her other opponent. Earth currents she ushered on past.

Now the White Lotus Earthbenders realized their problem. By Korra placing herself in between them, she could make use of their attacks as her own ammunition. They weren't smiling anymore. But Korra still was. So now was Katara.

The two Earthbenders circled around Korra toward each other, trying to break the axis. Korra moved with them, toward them.

Then they were close.

Korra rushed one of them. He hurled rocks direct from the ground at Korra, but she dropped low, rolled, then jabbed up with a great mallet of earth, catching him right in the chest. He flew out of the arena.

The other now had a clear field of fire, and he used it, ripping up anything he had and throwing at her, but Korra simply batted it down and hurled it back. She closed the range on him, too, eventually knocking him down and ejecting him from the arena with an Earth column. Korra dusted her hands off and exhaled happily.

That only left the third Earthbender, the different one, who not only hadn't moved during the entire contest but now stood there smiling and nodding, as if she approved of Korra's handiwork.

Korra narrowed her eyes. "What're you smiling at?"

"Nothing." The woman shrugged. "I just liked how you handled those two."

Korra frowned. "You know I'm gonna handle _you_ now."

"Yes, I know." The woman assumed a ready stance. "You can try."

That visibly irritated Korra. She attacked.

She launched a cluster of rocks at her new opponent, long range, but the woman simply moved out of the way.

Again Korra stomped, brought up a new bunch of rocks, kicked that, brought up a second set, kicked that. The woman on the other end moved, then moved again. Nothing hit.

Korra glared at her. "Why don't you fight?"

"Fight? You mean we're not fighting?"

"You haven't thrown anything at me! You've just dodged!"

The woman smiled. "Isn't there more than one way of fighting?"

"Avoid and evade. What are you, an Airbender?"

"No. I'm an Earthbender, just as you are." The woman tilted her head. "Is there a problem?"

"You're talking. You're dodging. You should be throwing rocks at me! Doing _something!_"

"I'm sorry. I can throw rocks at you, if you like."

"Yeah! Do it!" With that, Korra stomped and sent an Earth current at the woman, bringing it out into a wide Earth wave. The woman stepped into it, made a small seam, then stepped through to the other side. She still smiled at Korra.

Whose mood hadn't improved. "All right, you're an Earthbender. So do something with it!"

"That's odd. I thought I just did."

"_Throw_ something at me, blast you!" Korra charged at her. "Come on, _do_ something!"

"Oh, very well." But the woman still stood there.

Korra ripped a column of rock from the earth behind her and brought it down as an Earth hammer. The woman dodged, bending the hammer slightly aside. Korra kicked rocks at her at close range, first high, then low in a circle kick near the ground. Those the woman either fended off or danced away from.

Tala the Southern Waterbender bit her lip. "I hope she doesn't lose her temper."

Su Lao looked at her, slightly incredulous. " 'Lose'?"

Katara was concerned about that too—but even with that, even though Korra looked about as angry as Katara had ever seen her (the last elemental Trial included), Korra still seemed to be holding to discipline, lashing out at her opponent but still prepared for, still waiting for some offensive response from her. Even though none came.

It was odd. Katara, no Earthbender herself, could see several openings where the other woman could have launched an effective counter-attack if she had wanted to; she had simply chosen not to attack, only to defend. Was she thinking Korra would tire herself out? It was possible.

Eventually, though, Korra backed her opponent against an edge of the arena. Having done that, she paused. "Now… are you gonna do anything?"

The woman smiled. "No." She stepped onto the snow beside the arena, even despite her bare feet.

Korra threw her hands out. "What did you do that for? You didn't have to do that!"

"Yes, I did. So long as I was still in the arena, you would have had to force me out of it." The woman smiled. "Now, I'm no longer in the arena. You won."

"But that's not fair! You didn't fight back!"

"I didn't allow you to hit me, did I?"

"Well, no…"

"And by not allowing you to hit me, I was still in the contest. I was indeed fighting back."

Perplexity was all over Korra's face. "But… but you… you never struck at _me_. You could have."

"Yes. Yes, I could have. I just chose not to." The woman looked apologetic. "I beg your pardon but, as the fight is over, could I please step back inside the arena? This snow is getting cold."

"Oh. Yeah, sure."

"Thank you." The woman stepped back onto the dirt of the arena.

Korra was still confused. "So why did you do that? Why did you fight that way?"

The woman smiled again. "This fight was a test—a test of your bending ability, and also a test of how you use that ability under pressure. My bending style is dependent on taking advantage of mistakes other people make; by staying defensive, I can hit people at their weakest point—when they make a mistake." Another smile. "You did make mistakes, but you did not lose your temper. Had you done that, you would have seen me attack." Another smile, and not very friendly. "And you would have remembered it."

"I dunno…" Korra frowned. "I mean, I get what you're saying, but the way things happened, the Masters may make me take the test again." She thumbed over her shoulder. "They're kinda like that. Something doesn't happen the way they want, then it's my fault."

"I wouldn't worry about that." The woman smiled. "This was a test, and your Masters knew who I was and how I would test you."

Korra tilted her head. "Who _are_ you?"

"I'm Lieutenant Meng, Republic City Police Department. Special Operations Division."

Korra shook her head slightly. "Meng… didn't someone named Meng meet up with Avatar Aang?"

"She did. She's my namesake." Another smile. "I'm her granddaughter."

Korra folded her arms and smiled. "Well, whaddaya know… hey, are you a Metalbender, too?"

"I am." Meng motioned to a crowd that was coming. "I think your Masters will want to talk with us. My congratulations on your victory, Avatar. It was a pleasure to meet you."

Now Korra smiled—sheepishly. "Er, thanks. I think."


	12. Chapter 12: The Airbending Masters

Thanks, thelittleturtleduck, Irako, Jessica-Maria! :D

littleturtleduck, I think it might have been hard in the beginning for Katara to teach Korra, her not knowing exactly how Korra would be, but I feel like each Avatar is their own person, as if Korra's "I'm the Avatar, and you gotta deal with it!" wasn't enough indication. That's not Aang speaking there. XD I don't feel like I could have written it any other way. Thank you! And Irako, I figured Bumi and Iroh had their next-generation incarnations, so... Meng. XD I agree. I'm looking forward to how Zuko and his family fit into Korra's world. It'd be great to see Azula, too, and what _she_ might have to say now, but... probably won't happen. And we know we'll hear about the First Avatar this time around, so we'll see just what they started out bending. Thanks! And Jessica-Maria... thank you. That is exactly what I'm aiming for. Thank you very much.

So now that we've heard from Zuko and Meng... Chapter 12. Thank you again, everybody, for reading, for following, and especially for commenting. Love hearing from you.

* * *

**_12: The Airbending Masters_**

They were coming.

Katara had gotten the news before anyone else, of course—a special telegram from Republic City—and as the day approached, Korra could feel the excitement, too… and was more than a little curious. After all, her future lay in the hands of this man, who with his family were now making their way from Republic City to the South Pole—and doing so in a way that only one other had done before.

Besides, given that Korra had _heard_ plenty about this man but never actually seen him _and_ that they were likely to spend several years together, Korra was _very_ curious as to who he was—besides being the son of Avatar Aang. So, naturally, she pestered Katara about him.

"So what's he like?" the fifteen-year-old asked in the middle of a Waterbending session.

"More than I've told you already?" Katara replied with a twinkle in her eye.

"Well, you're his mom—I thought you'd know him best."

The twinkle remained. "Maybe you should ask his wife Pema that question and see what she says. She certainly knows him as well as I do now."

"Aw, come on!"

"There's another reason I said that." Katara bent the training water back into the buckets. "Pema knew Tenzin as a teacher before knowing him as she does now. As Tenzin will be teaching _you_, that sort of information might be useful to know."

"Except for one thing. Pema's there, you're here, and she won't be here til Tenzin is. So come on!"

"Well, my son is the most _serious_ Airbender I've ever known," Katara said, still smiling. "And that should be a contradiction in terms, but not with him."

"Why? Was Avatar Aang hard on him?"

Katara shook her head. "The exact opposite. When we learned that Tenzin was an Airbender, Aang was overjoyed; we both were. Aang, though, knew what his only Airbending son would be in for, so he did his best to teach Tenzin as well as he could, but gently—without impressing on him what was to come."

Korra lifted an eyebrow. "Which was what?"

Katara grew serious herself. "There was a time when Aang was the only Airbender in the world… and the only Master. Now, Tenzin himself is the only Airbending Master in the world. It's fortunate that so many of Tenzin's children have turned out to be Airbenders. One day, they will share his burden. Hopefully."

Korra fell silent after that.

And then they arrived.

A horn call went up in the middle of Korra's Firebending training. It didn't matter to her at first, but then she realized what it meant. Her eyes widened. "It's them!" She ran out of the room, leaving her Firebending Master standing there speechless.

After a moment, she ran back into the room, made a quick Fire Nation bow to her teacher, Flame-over-Fist, then left again.

She ran outside to where a crowd was gathering. The speck in the sky everyone was looking at grew into a sky bison, fluffy white against the blue sky. Soon Korra could make out that there were people aboard, and soon after that, others could make out the people themselves. Soon after _that_, they had landed, and the passengers were surrounded by family and friends.

Leaving Korra very much alone.

She knew who they _were_—Tenzin, the tall Airbender, Pema, his wife, Jinora, their seven-year-old firstborn, Ikki, still rocketing all over at four years old, Meelo, just two years old and doing the same—but they were just names. Faces. Not people Korra knew. And watching Katara hug _them_, ask _them_ how they were, ask what was going on in _their_ lives… it was like a boundary had been drawn, and she was outside it.

The wind of the South Pole felt very cold.

Then Katara turned, saw her, and said a word to Pema. Pema smiled and held out a hand to Korra.

"You must be Korra. I've heard so much about you!"

Korra's mood lightened. All of a sudden, the wind wasn't so cold anymore.

o o o

That was the beginning of a week of food, fun, and overall just… different time that Korra had never felt before in her life. Any spare moment she had outside of her training she spent with Tenzin and his family. She played hide-and-seek and tag with Jinora and Ikki—their Airbending skills adding a whole new dimension to both.

She found Katara constantly with Pema, talking about this or that or something else; that didn't bother her too much, as Pema constantly included her in on the "girl talk". Sometimes Korra found her own mother, Senna, talking with Katara and Pema. That felt awkward at first, as Korra was afraid her mom might reveal something she did as a child that would be hilarious to them and embarrassing to her, but Senna took pity on her. Or didn't bring anything up. Or didn't try to embarrass her. Something.

And the Airbending Master himself… was intriguing.

Son of Avatar Aang, tall, shaved bald, arrow tattoo pointing the way like a navigator's compass, Tenzin was a rock in the storms his children constantly brewed up. He was constantly at Pema's side, radiating a love and a passion for her that was like warm sunlight, Korra felt it so strongly. For Korra herself, he had answers for her questions, or at least the beginnings of long-sought explanations.

"I am certain we will find an answer," he said. "You are the Avatar—and all your past lives have bent Air before you. With time and with patience, we will find a solution for your Airbending. It will just take time."

"Yeah, well, that's the thing," Korra replied. "I can bend all the other elements just fine, but _every _thing I've tried with Air, _every_ single thing I've tried—pffffft! Nothing."

Tenzin smiled. "Every Avatar before you has had their problems, and every one has found a way around them. We will find a way for you as well." He laid a hand on Korra's shoulder. "_You_ will find a way."

After all the disapproval she had faced in her life, this—simple confidence from Tenzin—made her feel like anything was possible, including Airbending. Again she felt like she was standing in sunlight.

Then way too soon, Pema, Jinora, and Ikki were shouting goodbyes from the back of a rapidly dwindling sky bison, and Katara and Korra were shouting them back…and they were gone. To Korra it felt like some of her family had left; it really struck her for a moment.

But in the absence of _that_ family…

"So that's Tenzin," Korra said to Katara as everyone left after saying goodbye.

"Yes, that's Tenzin." Katara smiled. "Any more questions?"

"It's gonna be good training with him. I'll finally get some answers."

Katara cocked an eyebrow. "Answers to what?"

"To why I can't Airbend. Why I can't talk to Aang, or any of my other past lives." Korra had a bitter look on her face. "You know—the whole 'spiritual side' everybody says I don't focus enough on."

"Did you ask Tenzin about that?"

"Yeah."

"What did he say?"

"He said, 'With time and patience, we will take care of that.' Like he was holding back a big secret from me that he couldn't tell me yet—but he would."

Katara smiled.

"In addition to being one of the most serious Airbenders I've ever known, Tenzin is also one of the most patient." Katara chuckled. "Look who he's taught to Airbend already! You can't say Ikki and Meelo have long attention spans."

Korra turned away.

"No… they were born with it. Just like _I_ was with Water, Earth, and Fire." Korra gestured, frustrated. "You saw Meelo—they all but had to tie him down, he was Airbending so much. _I_ was doing that with the other elements when I was five. Why can't I do that with Air?"

Katara grew sad. She put her hands on Korra's shoulders.

"Korra… I don't know if people are born at certain times for certain reasons—certainly I wouldn't have met Aang if certain things hadn't happened—but after having been with you this long, I know Airbending isn't going to come right away for you. It's going to take time."

She gripped Korra's shoulders a little tighter. "Tenzin is the most serious Airbender I've ever met _and_ the most patient. If there's anyone in the world that _can_ show you how to connect to your Airbending, how to reach out to your spiritual side, it's Tenzin. He is here; now, in this time. And he _will_ do it. That I'm certain of."

Katara turned Korra around and took her hands. "You also have one advantage I never had. You _know_ you're the Avatar. This is a part of you. You _will_ do it." A slight shrug. "When I was growing up, I didn't know if I was a bender or if I'd ever learn how to control it. You do. You know. You will. I'm sure of it." She squeezed Korra's hands.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" A small smile came to Korra's face. "I just wish I could do it faster."

Katara chuckled softly. "Oh, Korra."

She hugged Korra… and Korra replied in kind. Katara patted Korra's back.

"You will, sweetie. You will."


	13. Chapter 13: The Spirit of Things

Thanks, ByakuyaxRenji! I appreciate it! :D Thanks for keeping up with the story!

Now, this next one caused me a lot of grief—and may still cause me more, depending on what you all think of it. There was something I couldn't quite get from the show, and so I had to do the best that I could, so... here goes. Please tell me how I did.

Chapter 13. Thanks again for reading, everybody, and again, always, for commenting.

* * *

**_13: The Spirit of Things_**

It was night at the South Pole.

Of course, this time of year it was always night. It was the dark season, in the depths of winter; the sun wouldn't be seen again for any length of time for another month. Traditionally the Southern Water Tribe spent more time sleeping during this time of the year than anything else, getting up to do necessary things when needed, then going back to sleep, conserving precious energy. The Order of the White Lotus, though, equipped with modern technology, worked their way through the winter as they had the past nine years. Difficult as it was to operate in near- and total darkness, they felt their task of educating the Avatar was more important than observing local custom. On this matter Katara agreed, and for the same reasons. Educating Korra was more important.

Katara took Korra out on the ice a short distance from the compound. Originally she thought about taking a Water Tribe sack-lantern with her, but she did want to go without the light at some point. Hearing that, the fifteen-year-old grinned, turned her hand palm up, and cupped a Firebent flame.

Katara frowned a smile at her. "Showoff." Korra giggled.

They went out on the ice.

"Why not bring Naga?" Korra asked early into the trip. "She could be handy."

"True," said Katara, "but Naga can be very playful at times. I want to do some serious talking."

"Uh-oh…"

Katara looked at Korra. "What?"

Korra rolled her eyes. "What did I do now?"

"Nothing. Why?" Katara was amused. "Is there something I should know?"

"Um, no, not that I… know of…"

Katara smiled. "All right. I'll leave it at that."

Away from the compound, the only lights to be seen were the full moon and the stars in the sky. A blanket of darkest blue fell from the night sky into the ocean, which was just as dark as the sky. The only way you could tell which was which was where the sparkling spots in the ocean started to be focused and distinct. The ice itself, normally bright white in daylight, was a faded light blue under the moon.

Katara waved to the moon. "Hello, Yue! Hope you and Sokka are doing well!"

She turned back to Korra only to see Korra looking at her funny. At that moment, Katara felt funny, too. She gestured moonward. "Well, she's the moon."

"I know."

"So why—"

"I mean, the same way Tui and La are the Moon and the Ocean, although how fish can do that, I don't know. And then a girl's supposed to be the moon at the same time—"

"Korra… it actually did happen. I saw it."

"I know. I know that too."

"So why are you treating it like it's just a story?"

"Sifu, I believe you because, well, you're my Sifu." Korra laughed uneasily. "And I believed my teachers when they told me about the Moon and the Ocean because, well, that's Water Tribe, so obviously that's true—"

Katara tilted her head. "Meaning?"

"Sifu, I believe you when you say it happened. I believe my teachers when they say _that_ happened. I believe that you believe and they believe, but…" Korra exhaled. "That's one of things about being the Avatar that I just don't get. I get _that_ it happened, I believe people _believe_ it happened, but I don't see how myself."

"And so because you don't see how it happened yourself, you have trouble believing that it happened."

"No, I do! I do! It's just… People are telling me to believe in a _story_, believe in it like it's _history_, like it actually happened—which I know it _did_, to other people, but it just…" Korra sighed again. "Maybe I need this stuff to happen to _me_. Maybe I need to have an experience or something. I mean I _know_ I'm supposed to be the 'bridge between worlds' or whatever. I just don't see how. I don't see how _I_ can. I don't _feel—anything._ I don't know how _I'm_ supposed to do this. I have _no idea!_"

Katara smiled wistfully. "I wish my brother Sokka were still with us, so he could talk to you about this."

"I wish he were too. I mean, him of all people." Korra looked at Katara sadly. "He _saw_ his girlfriend become the moon. He felt it happen. Mister Science. If anybody could explain, he could. And me, I'm… I'm about as spiritual as a snow brick."

Katara chuckled. "I guess a snow brick could be spiritual, too, depending." That earned her a dirty look. "I have been meaning to ask you what _you_ think the spiritual side of bending is."

"I don't know what it's _supposed_ to be," Korra said dejectedly. Her arms came up from her sides. "I do the move, I think the thought, and bam! Stuff gets bent."

"For most people that's true." Katara nodded. "That's what it is."

Korra's arms flopped down. "But not for me."

"Yes. And no."

"Which is the very same kind of answer I get when I ask about it!" Now Korra's arms were out in front of her. "That's not helping me very much!"

"I don't mean to lecture you about it—"

"Then _don't!_"

"All right." Katara pointed at Korra. "All right, that's enough." Korra deflated. "I wasn't going to lecture you about it, but you didn't let me tell you why. And we're not going to get anywhere with this if you try to talk over me.

"Now… I know this is frustrating." Korra deflated still further. "This is one thing you can't do and people keep demanding it of you. That's why I wanted to mention my brother and what he felt." Katara deliberately lightened her expression. "I think we should have a seat."

"Okay…" Korra tried to restrain an eyeroll.

They both sat down on the ice.

"Now, one of the reasons why I can't lecture you about spirituality is that I _could_ do that—but I know _my_ spiritual experiences will be different from yours. Without things in common, we'll have a hard time talking about them. What I _can_ do is _tell_ you about my experiences and what I think about spirituality, and we can talk about it."

Korra frowned. "Isn't that pretty much the same thing? And I thought you said I had to experience this for myself."

"It _is_ pretty much the same thing—_if_ I insist my way is right and there is no other. _Then_ I know I'm lecturing you. I know my way is not the only one. And as for _me_ telling you _now_ rather than letting you find out yourself…" Katara let out an exasperated sigh. "I think anything I can tell you that helps is a good thing. If nothing else it'll give you a starting point to think about—and maybe get the others off your back somewhat."

Korra snorted. "Yeah, that's a good thing, all right."

"I'm trying to get you to think about spirituality and how it applies to you—as the Avatar… _and_ as Korra." Katara shrugged and smiled. "I'm not the Avatar, right?"

An uncertain nod. "Right…"

"So you'll know things about spirituality I'll never know, _because you're the Avatar._"

"If I can experience them at _all_," Korra said in a huff.

"You will. That much I do know. Now—the reason why I mentioned my brother is that, as you said, he was a man of science. If you could prove to him that something did happen or could, he'd believe you. Spiritual 'mumbo-jumbo', as he called it—not so much."

"I knew I'd like this guy." Korra smiled.

Katara smiled back. "I thought you would. But at the same time he was witness to some of the greatest spiritual events in our lifetime. He did see his girlfriend Yue become the Moon Spirit, like I said."

"And like I said, I get that."

"He saw me use water from the Spirit Oasis of the North Pole to heal Aang, possibly bring him back from death. He also witnessed the battle between Aang and Fire Lord Ozai—and he saw Aang take Ozai's bending away. Now, in what Sokka would call reality, his realm of reality and science, none of that is possible—but he would swear to you that those events did happen. Him—a man of science."

"Yeah. I get that." Korra shrugged. "So what does this have to do with me?"

"As the Avatar, you are the bridge between worlds—between our world here and the Spirit World."

"So I'm a broken bridge, is that what you're saying?"

"No, you are not a broken bridge…" Katara slapped Korra's hand playfully. "I think Aang summarized it best when he said, 'Everything is connected'."

At that moment, Aang faded into being next to Korra.

Katara was surprised—then she frown-smiled at him. "Aang. Of all times for you to show up…"

Korra was alarmed. "_What?!_"

Katara shook her head, still smiling. "He always was a jokester. This isn't going to help."

"_Aang? _ _He's here?_"

"Yes. And the problem is I know you can't see him."

Korra looked skeptical. "And you can." Aang grinned.

"Yes. I know how odd it sounds…"

"No, no, that's all right. I've only got people saying I'm not spiritual enough, and you're saying I've got the father of Mister Spiritual over my shoulder but I can't see him." Korra looked away, frowned, and folded her arms.

Katara sighed.

"I'd imagine in some ways he's just as frustrated as you are, because if I know him he wants to talk with you. He didn't mean for being the Avatar to be such a guessing game for you, as it was for him." Aang nodded.

"All right… you can see him… so what does he wanna say?"

Katara looked at Aang—only to see Aang shrug and make a swooping gesture in Korra's direction.

Katara gestured herself, at Aang. "Well?"

Aang merely repeated the move.

Katara was exasperated. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

A gentle smile. He spoke. _You're telling her the right things_.

"Aang, I'm here, _you're_ here, _Korra's_ here—you have the opportunity to communicate. Say something!"

Aang shook his head.

_My time will come_, he said slowly_. As will hers. I have a lot more to show her than you can convey. You'll help her get there._

Katara just looked at him.

Korra looked at her. "Well?"

"He isn't helping. He says I'm saying the right things."

"That doesn't help me at all."

Katara glared at Aang. "My thoughts exactly." Aang grinned. Katara turned back to Korra, irritated. "So what was I saying?"

" 'It's all connected.' "

"See? You're learning already." Korra didn't think much of that, and glared at her. Aang grinned, and Katara chuckled. "I'm sorry. I had to do that."

"Well, try not to."

"All right." Katara grew more serious. " 'Everything is connected.' That's what Aang discovered when we were in the Great Swamp. He probably already knew; he might have just needed someone to confirm his thoughts."

"Well, that's nice, but what does it have to do with me? Or bending for that matter."

"Have you ever noticed how Fire is fluid, like Water? How Water can flow like Air sometimes? Or how Water, frozen solid, is just as hard and as stubborn as Earth can be?"

"Some of that, yeah."

"There are similarities among all the Bending Nations, traits we all have, or share with one of the other Nations. We begin where others leave off, and end where others begin."

"Okay, now you're sounding spiritual." Korra stretched, easing a kink in her back, then sat back again. "Or mystical, or _something_."

"The Avatar is to be of all four nations, a protector of all four. The Avatar must be of the world, and yet not, understand the world, but know when to set it aside."

Korra smiled. "_Yeah_. Tell me how."

"It used to be that the Avatar went to each of the Four Nations to learn their skills in that element. When they did, they lived with that people, learned from that people for several years." Katara smiled. "I think we really have done you a disservice—" But then Katara cut herself off, and stopped.

Korra waited for more… but it didn't come. "Yeah?"

"I… think we really did you a disservice in handling things in certain ways," Katara went on. "If I had it to do over again, I would have done things differently. But we are where we are now, so we have to work with what we have."

Korra narrowed her eyes. "That's not what you were going to say."

Katara nodded. "That's true. And it's best that we not get into it." She smiled. "I also had one other thing I wanted to say—and you're going to hate it."

Korra was wary. "And that is?"

"You've spent a lot of time _doing_ the bending—but not all that much time _thinking_ about it."

"I do!" Korra said with an exasperated growl. "I have to! That's what the other masters 'want me to focus on'. I hate it! It's sitting there doing nothing!"

"Like I said, you're going to hate it." Korra growled again. Katara smiled sympathetically. "For you I think that's one of the hardest things to do—sitting there doing nothing. Just thinking. _That_ is something I suggest you sit and think about, something I suggest you sit and _meditate_ about—" that earned an eyeroll from Korra, "—how all the four elements, all Four Nations connect with each other."

Korra did sit there for a moment. Then she said, "My butt's getting cold. How about we head back?"

"I guess we can." Katara got up. "I said what I wanted to say."

Aang nodded in approval. Then he smiled a warm smile, held up a hand in farewell, and faded away.

As they headed back, Katara swept an arm across the star-filled sky. "Of course, nights like this are good to think about things like that," she said. "Especially with Yue gracing us with her—oh." Katara smiled. "Oh, my." She chuckled.

"What?" Korra looked at her.

"I just thought of something. Sokka went on to the Spirit World a few years ago, so now he is with Yue, as he always wanted to be. But another woman who loved him is there now, too—Suki. And I know Toph had a thing for him too." Katara started to giggle. "Now they're _all_ in the Spirit World together! With Sokka stuck in between them!"

Korra caught the giggle. "Not the kind of spiritual experience he was looking for, huh?"

They laughed all the way home.


	14. Chapter 14: For Her Own Good

Thanks, VividDreamer! Very much. :D I wondered how that chapter was going to go over. And I agree. Korra might use the Avatar State to give her some booster rockets when it comes to air scooter racing, but I think the spiritual side of things will always be more difficult for Korra. That's just her nature. Although Heaven knows, I think she'll be getting an education this season in that department.

This next chapter is the one that started it all for me for this particular series... the on where I figured if I was going to have Katara "talk" to the White Lotus about _this_, then there was plenty more to explore. Hope you like it.

Thank you again, everybody, for reading, and always for commenting.

* * *

**_14: For Her Own Good_**

Pesut looked around the group at the table in the compound's meeting room. "Any new business before we adjourn for the day?"

"Yes, actually." Katara raised her hand.

"Very well, Master Katara." Pesut gestured to her.

Katara gathered her thoughts and began.

"This marks the tenth year that we have been training Avatar Korra. We have trained her in Water; we have trained her in Earth. We are training her in Fire, and in the not too distant future, we will train her in Air. Individually and together, we have taught her what we know of the outside world, but there is one problem: Korra has yet to see the outside world."

Some of the others made to speak but Katara continued on. "You might ask why that is a problem, since we can bring the outside world here. I say that is a problem because we are only able to teach her the parts, but not the whole. That is a crucial difference for Korra because as the Avatar, she is meant to _mind_ the whole. Most especially that is a problem for her because as we know, Korra has problems both with Airbending and with the spiritual side of bending in general."

"Meaning?" Pesut asked coolly.

"Meaning that we can teach her the individual Bending arts until we're blue in the face, but she won't knit it all together in her mind until she gets out there and _sees_ how it all knits together." Katara looked around the table. "Korra's spiritual side is the part of her that's the least developed. Getting her out into the world so she can _see_ the people she's supposed to serve, see how they live, see how the Four Nations come together is one way to show her how the parts form the whole."

"_One_ way, Master Katara." Pesut settled his robes more comfortably. "We have been through this before. We cannot allow Avatar Korra to leave the South Pole before she is ready. If we do, we will have broken our promise to Avatar Aang to protect the Avatar."

Katara exhaled. "I know what Aang asked the White Lotus to do. I was there when he asked you to do it. With that being said, I _don't_ think Aang meant for you to keep Korra a virtual prisoner _here_."

"How else were we supposed to protect her?" Pesut was barely moved. "You know yourself what kinds of threats the Avatar faced."

"Yes, I do. And I agree there are still people in the world that would want to do Korra harm."

"Including these… Equalizers or whatever they call themselves, I would imagine. Republic City itself is no longer a safe place for the Avatar."

The Firebending Master raised his hand. "They call themselves _Equalists_, Master Pesut."

Pesut tried not to roll his eyes. "Thank you, Master Kezo."

Katara wasn't deterred. "We would do it the same way Aang, Toph, Zuko, Sokka, and I used to do it, Master Pesut," she said. "By simply not advertising our presence and by being careful. We did hide in the Fire Nation for several weeks without being detected before the invasion. If we're careful, we could do the same thing again—in the Fire Nation, the Earth Kingdom, _or_ in the Republic. From what I understand, the White Lotus itself was a secret society and itself went undetected, for decades. The White Lotus could do that again—hide in plain sight—and still protect Avatar Korra."

"Including yourself, Master Katara?" asked the Firebender.

"Yes, Master Kezo. Including myself."

"No. The risk is too high." Pesut shook his head. "It may well be that Avatar Korra needs to learn more about the outside world than we can give her, but she stands a better chance of surviving the experience if she's a fully realized Avatar."

"Which would be speeded along if she went into the outside world," Katara replied. Pesut sighed. Katara leaned forward. "Think about it. The Air Nomads were the most spiritual of the four Bending Nations. Why?"

"Because they secluded themselves from the world to _focus_ on it," said Kezo.

"But also because they went out into the world on a regular basis." Katara spread her hands. "They were called the Air Nomads for a reason. They had the four Air Temples, yes, but they travelled through the world regularly. _All_ the Bending Nations saw them." She sat back. "Aang at twelve was a treasure trove of the cultural diversity of the world. _At twelve!_ And he accomplished that through first-hand experience. _That_ is exactly what Korra needs."

"And if she runs away if she feels like it?" Pesut asked skeptically. "You will recall the entire Naga incident."

"Yes. I remember that. Distinctly. And I would hope she remembers it too, and has a bit more sense."

"You hope she remembers it too." Now Pesut leaned forward. "We were unable to find her with just the South Pole to search. Are you truly suggesting we should let her loose in the Earth Kingdom? Or the Fire Nation? With that as a possibility?"

"That possibility exists _now_, Master Pesut." Katara leaned in again. "Korra will remain here until _she_ thinks we have nothing left to teach her. Her creativity has increased. Her skills have also increased. If she disagreed with why we were keeping her here and felt a strong enough pull to leave… she would. Furthermore…" Katara looked around the table. "Korra is now of an age where, if she were anyone else, she would be expected to take on responsibilities in Water Tribe society. In a few years, she will be of marrying age. Do we really have the right to _continue_ to hold her here, without first-hand knowledge of the world?"

"Korra is the Avatar. _That—_" Pesut brought his hand down hard on the table. "—is her responsibility—as it is _our_ responsibility to train and protect her. We cannot do either if we allow her to leave the South Pole."

There was silence for a moment.

Katara looked Pesut in the eye. "With all due respect, Master Pesut, I disagree."

She looked around the table… and everyone looked away, looked down, or returned her gaze and said nothing.

With coolness Pesut said, "With all due respect, Master Katara… it would appear no one else does."

o o o

That evening Katara was preparing for bed when there was a knock at her door. It was Korra. "Hey! Missed you earlier today. Where were you?"

"I'm sorry, Korra." Katara smiled somehow. "I was meeting with the other Masters, and the meeting ran long."

"Oh? Whadja talk about?"

Katara tried not to sigh. "It appears we both are going to see more of the South Pole than I'd planned on."

"Well, that's a good thing, right?"

A sad smile. "In some ways."


	15. Chapter 15: Flying Free

Thanks, Irako, Jessica-Maria! :D (And I actually forgot about Sokka's comment on bathrooms in the Spirit World. XD I should have included _something_ about that! Ah, well…) I hope we get to see the old Gaang, too, in _Legend of Korra_ at some point. _That_ would be wonderful.

(Ikki will probably interrupt Toph just about when she reveals who Lin's father is. XD)

As for Pesut, well…yeah, I agree. I don't understand why the White Lotus decided to keep Korra cooped up at the South Pole for all of her training, but they did. It doesn't make any sense to me. It certainly does put Korra in the position of having lots of book learning but little real-world experience—exhibit A being Korra saying "Oh, I'd like one of everything" at the meat vendor's stand in Republic City. XD Listen to Katara? No, surely the White Lotus knows better. Sheesh. XD

And I hope so too, Irako. I hope Korra does get the chance to get out of Republic City and see the rest of the world, and hopefully Season 2 will be a down payment on that. Korra is the world's Avatar, not just Republic City's, and I agree—Republic City has its own funky dynamic, but Korra needs to see the rest of the world.

And speaking of which…

In this next one, I thought about how to fuse the past with the present, thought about doing just a quick "bullet point" review of the intro of episode 1, thought about a full-on description of the whole thing… and wound up here, sorta part way in between both. I didn't want to simply quote the whole episode, but I did feel some parts needed to be fully described, including one part that you'll see. Hope it goes over well.

Chapter 15. Thank you again, everybody, for reading, for following, and especially for commenting.

* * *

**_15: Flying Free_**

Katara found herself with more time on her hands after that meeting… at least initially. She knew years ago she was on the outside looking in when it came to the White Lotus, but this… this was just juvenile. All of a sudden, Korra had no time to meet with her because of the other Masters' increased needs? Really?

Well, whether it was one or whether it was all, that's what was happening. Katara still took the high road, let it go for a week, mentioned the matter to Pesut when it continued, then continued to mention it when things didn't change. It eventually did, though. Pesut's ears must have been getting very sore.

Not that Katara planned on that being the last word on Korra's need for excursions, either. She was merely biding her time for when Tenzin would come. As Korra's Airbending teacher—indeed the only one in the world qualified to be so—he could exert considerably more pull on the matter. This was not over by any means.

Thinking about things in that frame of mind, she _was_ glad that Tenzin would have the last word, but in a different sense. Korra had become more stubborn by the end of her Earthbending training, and more impulsive, more direct as she completed Firebending. As those were some of Korra's qualities already, they didn't need any enhancement. That probably also meant that Airbending training was going to be a real bear for Korra—and for Tenzin—but once done, it would be something that would really benefit Korra in several areas of her life.

Hopefully.

The end, when it came, went by in a blur—and of all things, it was Tenzin himself who triggered it.

Korra passed her Firebending Trial with ease—so easily, in fact, that her Firebending Master said she was getting ahead of herself "_as usual_" by saying that she had passed the Trial. Katara wondered what more Korra could have _done_ to pass. The seventeen-year-old had knocked all three of her opponents down, blowing one of them clear out of the arena and onto the roof of the spectators' pavilion. To say Korra hadn't passed was ridiculous.

Pesut then chastised Korra for ignoring, since childhood, the spiritual side of bending. Katara was about to roll her eyes, but then Korra countered by saying that was _why_ she should start training with Tenzin now, since Tenzin was "_Mister_ Spiritual." Katara smiled at both parts of that.

At that moment, Pesut turned to Katara and asked her, incredulously, if she thought Korra was ready to move on. She spoke her mind.

"_Yes_. If anyone can teach her what she needs to learn, it's Tenzin."

Then Pesut acquiesced. Just like that. Katara was very surprised. Maybe Pesut was starting to listen after all.

Soon after, Tenzin and his family came to the South Pole—only for Tenzin to announce that he was _not_ staying to teach Korra Airbending because things were too unstable in Republic City. Korra would have to wait until things had quieted down enough in Republic City for Tenzin to return. Or…

It didn't take Korra too long to follow that string of logic through. Or Katara either, for that matter.

The night after Tenzin and his family left for Republic City, Katara checked Korra's room. It was empty. Korra's coat was missing, as was some of her outdoor gear. Katara checked the stables. Sure enough, there was Korra, packed, ready, and saddling Naga for a journey.

Katara smiled. "Nice night for an escape, isn't it?"

Korra cringed. She turned, then grew sad when she saw who it was. "I have to leave. I have to find my own path as the Avatar."

Katara nodded and smiled, closing her eyes. She opened them again. "I know you do."

Korra smiled sheepishly and closed her eyes. _Of course you would._

The work of eleven years… and another parting, with another Avatar.

"Aang's time has passed." Katara shook her head. "My brother and many of my friends are gone. It's time for _you_ and your generation to take on the responsibility of keeping _peace…_ and _balance_ in the world." She laid a hand on Korra's shoulder. "And I think you're going to be a _great_ Avatar."

"Thank you…" Korra hugged her, which she gladly returned.

Still hugging Korra, Katara closed her eyes. "Goodbye, Korra."

That parting was as hard as the ones she'd had with her own children—which in a sense Korra was—but it was also unquestionably right. Korra didn't have all the skills she would need, but then, neither did Katara when _she_ left the South Pole, many years ago, and Korra did need to continue her training, whatever the White Lotus said. With Katara's blessing, Korra made her way into the world.

The following morning was weird. There was lots of scurrying about, lots of activity as the compound finally realized that the Avatar was gone, while Katara… _knew_… and was torn between sadness at losing a daughter _and_ a friend, fear at what she might find and what might find her, and happiness that Korra was _finally_ going to where she belonged in the world.

The door to her room remained shut. At midday there was a knock. It was Pesut.

"How long have you known?" he asked coolly.

"Since last night."

"And you did nothing to stop her."

Katara shook her head. "No. I did not."

"You did not."

"No."

"So you got what you wanted anyway." Pesut folded his arms.

_Well, that was petulant._ Katara kept to the high road, as always. "In terms of the ultimate outcome, I hope so, yes. But I didn't want things to end like this."

"You didn't want things to end like this." Pesut dropped his arms; now he looked ready to explode. "You actually had a chance to stop her, and instead for the sake of being right, you decided to throw away _twelve years of all our work and maybe even her life—_"

"Did I, Pesut? Did I really?" Now Katara folded her arms. "You saw how well she did with her elemental tests. You know everything we've been teaching her these past twelve years. Do you really think she can't handle herself out there now?"

"She's alone, she's seventeen, and her training's _incomplete!_ She has _not_ developed the spiritual side of herself—"

"Do you _really_ want me to get into that now? Do you? Besides which, she's not alone—she has Naga with her. And as for the business of being seventeen…" Katara smiled. "I was thinking about what I wanted to do for my wedding. And that was _after_ I'd been all over the world. With Aang. Several times." The smile left her face. "It's amazing what you can pick up on the fly when you're actually _doing_ things and not just learning about them. Aang and I did that when he was twelve and I was _four_teen!"

Katara lowered her arms and came closer. "Korra is better trained than we were, better prepared than we were, and now she's finally _out_ there where she belongs. Am I sorry that it happened this way? Yes. Am I sorry that it happened? No. The Avatar is supposed to be _in the world_, Pesut. That's how Aang and I did it. We learned from the world. We made our mistakes and we learned from them. That's how Aang became who he was, that's how I became how I am—Sokka, Zuko, Suki, all of us. We didn't have the White Lotus to guard us and guide us, or to keep us from stubbing our toes. _Korra did_. But now she's where she's supposed to be—in the world!"

Pesut opened his mouth. "And before you say anything else," Katara interjected, "Korra is headed for Republic City, to train in Airbending with Tenzin. You still have time and opportunity to protect her."

"_If_ she makes it to Republic City," Pesut said angrily.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "You really think she won't?"

"No. She probably will." His eyes narrowed. "In spite of you letting her leave without finishing her training."

Katara held back a laugh—but, in the end, it wasn't all that funny, anyway, given who and what was involved. She sighed.

"I will telegraph ahead to Republic City and let them know she is coming." His eyes narrowed further. "You will not follow her to Republic City. You are to have no contact with her. You will have no more say in her training regimen."

Seventy years ago, she would have done just that, if only _because_ he tried to forbid her. Now, however, times and circumstances had changed. Instead… she accommodated. "Very well. I have said my goodbyes. I will contact the White Lotus if I need to contact her."

Pesut glared… and left.

o o o

The White Lotus left the South Pole after that.

The training center they left intact, mainly because they saw no need to dismantle it. The looks people gave Katara she found… interesting, to say the least. Some glared at her, as Pesut had. A few gave her a piece of their minds (which she politely nodded to but sometimes returned—with interest.) Others sympathized; some said so. Regardless, after a while, most of them were gone.

Katara went back to the Southern Water Tribe, her family and friends, and… what else, she wasn't quite sure. After eleven years of near constant involvement, eleven years of spending part of nearly every day with Korra, she didn't know what to do with herself. She wasn't sure how much time she had left in this world either, but that didn't really matter. The time she had left she would make worthwhile.

She slipped into the rhythms of the village again, some mending, some cooking, some minding the children, some teaching of Waterbending and Waterhealing to the young ones, giving advice to those who sought it—and giving some to those who didn't, particularly the leaders of the village, like it or not. She kept an ear out for any scrap of news of Korra, thinking of her often. On really dark nights she wondered if she had made the right decision.

The rest of the time, she knew she had.


	16. Chapter 16: Lowest Point

Thanks, Jessica-Maria, VividDreamer! And Pesut sure had it coming, wouldn't you say? XD I really appreciate that. Thanks.

I think-VividDreamer, you put it the right way-when I wrote that last chapter and the one before it, I felt Katara was still imbued with the sense of mission of taking care of the next Avatar, to the point where she didn't want to start any trouble with the White Lotus unless she had to. There was plenty more she could have told Pesut and the others, plenty more she could have said about the methods he and the rest of the White Lotus chose to raise the Avatar, but it was better to keep things focused on what _she_ did when she was that age and what she felt was needed. But boy... she was tired of dealing with that, I know that much. XD I still don't understand why the White Lotus did what they did, intentionally developing story flaws in Korra aside, and how they went from the secret society Uncle Iroh led to the hidebound inside-the-box bunch Katara faced is... well, worthy of fanfic exploration. XD One of these days, maybe.

Speaking of more things that could have been said... I hate deadlines. XD I have a few more ideas for what might happened during Korra's "bringing up", but with Korra's Season 2 bearing down on us... they'll have to wait. I'll keep you posted. I'll either tack them on here or put them in my "Korra Wanderings" thread, I'm not sure yet. Certainly there's more to tell about Korra's growing-up period.

In the meantime, I'd like to thank everyone who read my story, everyone who followed it, and most especially everyone who told me what they thought of it. I can't tell you how much I value that. Thank you very much, everyone.

And now... our conclusion.

* * *

**_16: Lowest Point_**

The only time Katara had tried harder to heal someone was when she had healed Aang after the disaster in Old Ba Sing Se. This time she had tried… and had failed.

She knew what had happened, she knew how, she knew who had done it, and it all came down to that decision she made years ago to _not_ teach Korra Bloodbending. If she had, then _maybe_…

Maybe…

If she had simply killed Hama on the spot to prevent the spread of her vicious knowledge… but no. Yakone had learned, possibly from Hama, his son had learned, and now…

The bending Korra seemed born with—Water, Earth, and Fire—was gone, at Amon's hands. The child of Yakone had taken his revenge on the Avatar and stripped Korra of her bending, and Korra, not knowing how to Bloodbend, could do nothing. Nor too, now, could Katara.

They had gotten news occasionally from Republic City at the South Pole, and that had been a wild emotional ride. Korra had sent a telegram to her through Tenzin to say she had arrived safely in the City and was now training in Airbending; that had been a load off Katara's mind and a source of great joy for days.

Reports came from Tenzin on Korra's Airbending progress (or more accurately, lack of), news of Korra's joining the Fire Ferrets and the coming Pro-Bending tournament… whispers of what the Equalists were, and the threat they posed… Tenzin's frustrations with Korra and with Tarrlok's non-Bender alienating tactics…

The Pro-Bending tournament. The finals. Amon's threat. The strike of the Equalists in the face of all the police Republic City could bring to bear. An ominous silence. Then, war in Republic City. The defeat of General Iroh's fleet.

The last message: a quick telegram from Tenzin saying everyone was safe and the city was secured, but "We are coming to the South Pole. Please prepare. Amon took Korra's bending."

Now this.

"It's going to be all right, Korra," Tenzin said reassuringly.

"No." Korra. Lifeless. Defeated. "It's not."

Korra took her coat from the hook by the door and went out, dejected. Katara watched her go along with all the others. When Mako went after Korra, Katara turned back, went into the healing room, closed the door… and sank to her knees.

She wept.

Hot, angry, bitter tears spilled down her face. She raged at Amon for violating Korra's essence. If _she_ had been there, she would have faced that defiler, met his Bloodbending with even greater strength, and broken **_him_** rather than allow—

Allow him to take away something from Korra so innate to who she was, to destroy and deny everything she was meant to be.

She cried for Korra's grievous loss. She cried for her decision to withhold what might have saved her, for the life that Korra now faced as a broken Avatar…

Then she noticed there was a glow in the room. A blue glow.

Sadly she turned toward it. "Aang..." She swallowed, clearing her throat. "Korra's lost her bending… somehow that… that _Amon_ took it from her…"

She couldn't look at him. His feet, yes, but to look into her husband's eyes and tell him that _she_ had failed, that she had failed so terribly to protect Korra with just one wrong decision—

Then she slowly realized: if Aang were _here_, there might be another reason why.

Her eyes widened with fear. "No. Oh, no." She looked up. "No, Aang, _please_ tell me Korra didn't take her own—"

He was speaking. Distraught, she missed what he had said, but after he finished, he smiled. Gently.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry… Aang, say that again, please. I couldn't read your lips well enough."

Another smile. Bigger. Warmer.

_I said, don't worry. Korra's still alive._

Katara exhaled and came to her knees. "Good. Oh, good. I was afraid… afraid she had…"

_No. Not if I can help it._

"Not if you can help it?" Katara looked at him, puzzled, despite her recent horror. "What are you going to do? Can she see you now?"

That big smile turned into a big grin.

_Katara. Do you really think that son of Yakone can _outbend_ an _Avatar?

With that, he faded, leaving Katara alone in the room.

Alone, and puzzled. Confused. _I mean, if _I_ can't heal her,_ she thought_, then how_—

Suddenly, it came to her.

She rose, rushed to the door, and burst into the common room.

Bolin, Asami, Lin, and the others looked up. Tenzin was surprised. "Mother?"

"Quick. Get Ugi." She smiled, full of hope. "I think something wonderful has happened."

o o o

It had been many years since Katara had ridden on the back of a sky bison, but it still had a familiar feel. That was a good omen, she thought. She, Tenzin, and Ugi flew alone, leaving the others at the compound. From the air it didn't take too long to find Korra. She and Mako were on Naga, who was racing back to the compound with all speed—also a good sign. Ugi landed in front of them, and everyone dismounted.

Katara approached them. "Korra?"

Korra smirked and flicked a snowball at her. Katara ducked, indignant. "_Hey!_" Then she realized that the snow came from the ground—not from Korra's hand. She had Waterbent it at Katara.

Katara cried aloud and ran and hugged a grinning Korra, then held her at arm's length. "You're all right!"

"Yes. Aang healed me. And he gave me something else, too." Korra nodded her head sideways. "Let's get Bei Fong out here. I've got some work to do."

o o o

So often during the training of Korra, Katara found herself looking back at what she had taught her, what she herself had learned in the past… often at what lessons Korra hadn't gotten right or simply hadn't gotten at all. Sometimes Korra did figure it out, sometimes she found a clever way around the obstacle, others she simply bulled her way through by sheer stubbornness or anger. Only a handful of things she couldn't master, no matter what she did, but they were there. Those proved a test in themselves. Katara had known from the outset that Avatar Korra was going to be significantly different from Avatar Aang, and in many ways. Now, Katara knew how, first-hand.

It could have been said that the mission of the Avatar remained the same down through the ages, to bring balance to the world—but that was only partly correct. Each Avatar was charged with bringing balance to the world and maintaining it, but what needed rebalancing and how it was to be done differed with every generation. Avatar Aang's tasks had been different from Avatar Roku's as Roku's had been different from Avatar Kyoshi's. Thus, Avatar Korra's missions and her methods of achieving them would be different from Aang's.

Did Korra now have the tools she needed to bring balance to the world? Not all of them by any means… not yet. But she would learn. Had Korra learned only techniques of bending and not the life experiences that went along with them? When to be flexible instead of stubborn, subtle instead of direct? To come at problems from other angles rather than head on? Katara had a feeling as to what the answer was, but Korra would learn about that too. That, or keep struggling with the same problems.

Did Korra know how to sort out her priorities? Katara smiled. That too took time to master. Even _she_ didn't have it all down.

She had told Korra once that she didn't know if people were born at certain times for certain reasons, but that Tenzin, the most serious and the most patient Airbender she knew, was here in her time, now, to train her. So too, now, Korra had been born into this time. She was the Avatar of this generation, with her own unique skills and her own particular take on the world. That would help her in part to solve the problems she faced… but as with Aang before her, that could also get her into trouble if she wasn't careful.

Katara smiled.

And Korra would have to deal with it.

Bringing Up Korra

A wherewulf writing enterprises production

**The End**

* * *

Once again, I'd like to thank (and praise) Invaderk very much for being my beta/editor for this story, and my great thanks goes to Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko for creating both _Avatar: the Last Airbender_ and _The Legend of Korra_ so we can dream in their world-as well as to all the writers, artists, and everyone else that made Avatar and Legend of Korra possible. Thank you again _very_ much.

Also, once again, to all the readers, followers, and commenters of my story, thank you very much for letting me share with you. :D It's been a great pleasure. See you all again soon.


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